Nucleophilic substitution of Pd(RaaiR¢)Cl 2 [RaaiR¢=1-alkyl-2-(arylazo)imidazole, p-RAC 6 H 4 AN@NAC 3 H 2 NN-1-R¢; where R= H(a)/Me(b)/Cl(c) and R¢ = Et(1)/Bz(2)] with adenine (A) in MeCN-water (1:1) at 298 K, to form [Pd(A) 2 ]Cl 2 , has been studied spectrophotometrically under pseudo-first-order conditions and the analyses support a nucleophilic association path. The reaction follows the rate law, rate = {a+k [A] 2 0 g[Pd(RaaiR¢)Cl 2 ]: first-order in Pd(RaaiR¢)Cl 2 and second-order in A. The rate increases as follows: Pd(RaaiEt)Cl 2 (1) < Pd(RaaiBz)Cl 2 (2) and Pd(MeaaiR¢)Cl 2 (b) < Pd(HaaiR¢)Cl 2 (a) < Pd(ClaaiR¢)Cl 2 (c). External addition of Cl ) (LiCl) suppresses the rate (rate µ 1/[Cl ) ]). The activation parameters, D z H 0 and D z S 0 of the reactions were calculated from the Eyring plot and support the proposed mechanism.