Metaloxylation of cyclopalladated 1-(1′-naphthylazo)naphthalene complexes by m-chloroperbenzoic acid: Oxygen insertion into metal-carbon(naphthyl) bond

The cyclopalladation of symmetrical 1-(1′-naphthylazo)naphthalene(HL) affords dimeric complexes of the type [Pd2(L)2X2] 1 (where X represents Cl or OAc). Complexes 1 undergo regiospecific metaloxylation (M-C → M-O-C) reaction with m-chloroperbenzoic acid (m-CPBA) at C2 and produce complexes [Pd2(LO)2X2] 3 where LOH is 1-(1′-naphthylazo)-2-hydroxynaphthalene.