Bridge cleavage reactions of cyclopalladated nitrosamines with thioamides and related compounds

The palladacycle [Pd(μ-O2CMe){κ2C,N-4-MeC6H3N(Me)NO}]2 undergoes bridge cleavage reactions with a variety of compounds containing donor functionalities including thioamides, 8-hydroxyquinoline, thioureas, selenoureas, acetylacetone derivatives, dithiocarbamates, xanthates, as well as bidentate N-donors to afford either monomeric, neutral Pd(II) complexes or monocationic complexes in high yields. A series of 15 different complexes was prepared and fully characterised spectroscopically and, in some cases, by X-ray diffraction. It was also found that in solution the dithiocarbamato complex undergoes a disproportionation reaction to give a bis(cyclometallated) complex.