Trichloropalladate(II) Complexes with Pyridine Ligands – Molecular Structure and Conformational Analysis of [K(18C6)][PdCl3(py)]

[K(18C6)]₂[Pd₂Cl₆] ( 1 ) (18C6 = 18‐crown‐6) was found to react with pyridines in a strictly stoichiometric ratio 1 : 2 in methylene chloride or nitromethane to yield trichloropalladate(II) complexes [K(18C6)][PdCl₃(py*)] (py* = py, 2a ; 4‐Bnpy, 2b ; 4‐tBupy, 2c ; Bn = benzyl; tBu = tert‐butyl). The reaction of 1 with pyrimidine (pyrm) in a 1 : 1 ratio led to the formation of the pyrimidine‐bridged bis(trichloropalladate) complex [K(18C6)]₂[(PdCl₃)₂(μ‐pyrm)] ( 3 ). The identities of the complexes were confirmed by means of NMR spectroscopy (¹H, ¹³C) and microanalysis. The X‐ray structure analysis of 2a reveals square‐planar coordination of the Pd atom in the [PdCl₃(py)]^? anion. The pyridine plane forms with the complex plane an angle of 55.8(2)°. In the [K(18C6)]⁺ cation the K⁺ lies outside the mean plane of the crown ether (defined by the 6 O atoms) by 0.816(1) Å. There are tight K···Cl contacts between the cation and the anion (K···Cl1 3.340(2) Å, K···Cl2 3.166(2) Å). To gain an insight into the conformation of the [PdCl₃(py)]^? anion, DFT calculations were performed showing that the equilibrium structure ( 6eq ) has an angle between the pyridine ligand and the complex plane of 35.3°. Rotation of the pyridine ligand around the Pd–N vector exhibited two transition states where the pyridine ligand lies either in the complex plane ( 6TS _pla, 0.87 kcal/mol above 6eq ) or is perpendicular to it ( 6TS _per, 3.76 kcal/mol above 6eq ). Based on an energy decomposition analysis the conformation of the anion is discussed in terms of repulsive steric interactions and of stabilizing σ and π orbital interactions between the PdCl₃^? moiety and the pyridine ligand.