Azo-containing phosphine complexes of palladium(II) and platinum(II) and their effectiveness in the Heck reaction: crystal and molecular structure of [PdCl2{PPh2{1-(4-MeC6H4N2)-2-OC(O)Me---C10H5}]·2EtOH

Reaction of Na[MCl₄] (M=Pd or Pd) with the azo-containing phosphines Ph₂P{1-(4-RC₆H₄N₂)-2-OR′-C₁₀H₅} {R=Me (I), NMe₂ (II); R′=C(O)Me} affords the complexes [MCl₂L₂] (1–4) in good yield. Complexes 1–4 have all been fully characterised by elemental analysis, ¹H-, ¹³C{¹H}-, and ³¹P{¹H}-NMR spectroscopy and UV–visible spectroscopy. The use of 1 in the Heck reaction has been investigated and shown to effect up to 1000 turnovers.