A series
of palladium pincer complexes supported by (
i
Pr2P-C6H4)2CH2 (PC(sp3)H2P = bis(2-(diisopropylphosphanyl)phenyl)methane)
was isolated and characterized. Different modes of C–H activation
were observed for [{PC(sp3)H2P}PdX2] (X = Cl, OTf, Me, OAc). The thermal treatment of [{PC(sp3)H2P}PdX2] (X = Cl, OTf) induced a backbone
C–H bond activation to generate the respective [{PC(sp3)HP}PdX] complex, while under similar reaction conditions
[{PC(sp3)H2P}PdMe2] underwent a C–C
reductive elimination that led to the formation of a Pd(0) dimer,
[{PC(sp3)H2P}Pd]2. For the analogous
diacetate complex [{PC(sp3)H2P}Pd(OAc)2], the C–H activation occurred at the phosphine isopropyl
methine group to generate a palladacycle.