Cyclometallation of phenylhydrazones: Synthesis, reactivity, crystal structure analysis and novel trinuclear palladium(II) cyclometallated compounds with [C, N, N′] terdentate ligands

Reaction of the ligand C₆H₅N(H)NCMe(C₅H₄N) (a) with palladium(II) acetate in toluene gave the mononuclear cyclometallated complex Pd{C₆H₄N(H)NCMe(C₅H₄N)}(AcO)] (1a). Reaction of 1a with sodium chloride gave the analogous chlorine compound Pd{C₆H₄N(H)NCMe(C₅H₄N)}(Cl)] (3a) which could also be prepared by reaction of a with lithium tetrachloropalladate and sodium acetate in methanol for 48 h; whereas shorter reaction times afforded the non-cyclometallated complex Pd{C₆H₅N(H)NCMe(C₅H₄N)}(Cl)₂] (2a). Reaction of the ligand 2-ClC₆H₄N(H)NCMe(C₅H₄N) · HCl (b), with palladium(II) acetate, or with lithium tetrachloropalladate and sodium acetate, yielded the cyclometallated complex Pd2-ClC₆H₃N(H)NCMe(C₅H₄N)(Cl)] (1b). Treatment of 3a and 1b with silver trifluoromethanesulphonate (triflate) and triphenylphosphine in acetone gave the mononuclear complexes Pd{2-RC₆H_nN(H)NCMe(C₅H₄N)}(PPh₃)]CF₃SO₃], (R = H, n = 4, 4a; R = Cl, n = 3, 2b) with the ligand as C,N,N′ terdentate and substitution of chlorine by triphenylphosphine. Reaction of 3a and 1b with silver triflate and the tertiary diphosphine Ph₂P(CH₂)₄PPh₂ (dppb) in a 2:1 molar ratio gave the dinuclear cyclometallated complexes {Pd2-RC₆H₃N(H)NCMe(C₅H₄N)]}₂(μ-Ph₂P(CH₂)₄PPh₂)]CF₃SO₃]₂ (R = H, 5a; R = Cl, 3b) with a μ₂-diphosphine bridging ligand. Similarly, treatment of 3a and 1b with silver triflate and the tertiary triphosphines MeC(CH₂PPh₂)₃ (tripod) and (Ph₂PCH₂CH₂)₂PPh (triphos), in 3:1 molar ratio, gave the novel trinuclear complexes {PdC₆H₄N(H)NCMe(C₅H₄N)]}₃{μ₃-MeC(CH₂Ph₂)₃}]CF₃SO₃]₃ (6a) and {Pd2-ClC₆H₃N(H)NCMe(C₅H₄N)]}₃{μ₃-(PPh₂CH₂CH₂)₂PPh}]CF₃SO₃] ₃ (4b) regioselectively, with the phosphine as a μ₃-bridging ligand. When the reaction between 3a and triphos was carried out in 1:1 molar ratio the mononuclear complex Pd{C₆H₄N(H)NCMe(C₅H₄N)}{(PPh₂CH₂CH₂)₂PPh-P,P,P}]ClO₄] (7a) was obtained. The crystal structures of 2b, 3a and 4a have been determined by X-ray crystallography.