The applicant is currently pursuing her postdoctoral research on exploration of the palladium complex-catalyzed
asymmetric hydroamination of vinylarenes by aromatic amines. This reaction gives rise to enantioenriched amines,
which serve as valuable building blocks in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals. Investigations of
substrate and catalyst scope have been carried out in the first months of the research stay. Recent mechanistic
investigations led to isolation and crystallographic characterization of a 1-(2-naphthyl)ethyl palladium(II) complex
that is an intermediate in the catalytic cycle. From this starting point, a plausible mechanistic cycle can be
formulated. Important details of the mechanism, however, are not known yet and will be the topic of the requested
extension of the research stay. Investigations concerning catalyst initiation, stereodifferentation and catalyst
deactivation pahways will be carried out. A better understanding of these mechanistic issues will eventually
contribute to the development of second generation catalysts with further improvement of activity, stability and
enantioselectivity.