Synthesis, structure and catalytic activity of dicarbene dipalladium complexes with different substituents

► Novel di-NHC dipalladium complexes with different N-substituted imidazolylidenes have been synthesized. ► Two molecular structures have been determined. ► The two palladium subunits are in cis configuration. ► π-π Stacking plays an important role in the configuration of the palladium subunits. ► The complexes with aryl substituents on N of NHC showed good catalytic activity for the arylation of olefins.