Reduction of a chelating bis(NHC) palladium(II) complex to [{μbis( NHC)}2Pd2H]+: a terminal hydride in a binuclear palladium(I) species formed under catalytically relevant conditions.

The first palladium(I) N-heterocyclic carbene complex has been isolated in high yield by the base-assisted reduction of a palladium(II) precursor. The location of the unique terminal hydride (see picture; PdI cyan, H white, N blue) was established by neutron crystal structure determination, and the solution fluxional behavior of the complex was explored. © 2010, Wiley-VCH Verlag Berli