Synthesis, characterization and crystal structures of a novel 1,1′-bisferrocenylimine and its monocyclopalladated derivative

A novel 1,1′-bisferrocenylimine [{(η5-C5H4)-CHNCy}2Fe] 4 has been synthesized. The double cyclopalladation of 4 with two mole equivalents of Li2PdCl4/NaOAc followed by treatment with tricyclohexylphosphine (PCy3) afforded [PdCl{[(η5-C5H4)-CHO]Fe[(η5-C5H3)-CHNCy]} (PCy3)]6, a monocyclopalladated derivative instead of the expected biscyclopalladated PCy3 adducts. The two new compounds 4 and 6 were characterized by elemental analysis, ESI-MS, IR, 1H NMR and single-crystal X-ray diffraction.