The hydrocarboxylation of 1-hexene in the presence of PdCl2(PPh3)2/PPh3 and 2-ethylhexanol (R'OH) under the syn gas pressure was studied with the aid of in situ IR spectroscopy. The result showed that the carbonyl palladium intermediates initially formed, reacted with the alcohol to form hydrocarboxylated palladium species which then underwent through successively the steps of olefin insertion, CO coordination and alcoholysis to yield the ester and regenerate the intermediate (R'O)Pd(CO)(PPh3)2.

Key words: CATALYSIS, REACTION MECHANISM, INFRARED SPECTROPHOTOMETRY, CATALYST, HEXENE P, TRIPHENYLPHOSPHINE, PALLADIUM, IN-SITU, CARBOXYLATION