Mechanistic studies of a palladium-mediated decarboxylative olefination of arene carboxylic acids are presented, providing spectroscopic and, in two instances, crystallographic evidence for intermediates in a proposed stepwise process. Sequentially, the proposed pathway involves carboxyl exchange between palladium(II) bis(trifluoroacetate) and an arene carboxylic acid substrate, rate-determinin...
