Exploring the coordination chemistry and reactivity of hemilabile N-alkylaminopyrazole ligands towards Pd(II)

Reaction of the N-alkylaminopyrazole (NN′N) ligands bis[(3,5-dimethyl-1-pyrazolyl)methyl]ethylamine (bdmae) and bis[(3,5-dimethyl-1-pyrazolyl)methyl]isopropylamine (bdmai) with [PdCl₂(CH₃CN)₂] in a 1:1 M/L ratio in CH₂Cl₂ produces cis-[PdCl₂(NN′N)] (NN′N = bdmae (1), bdmai (2)). The solid state structure of complex 1 was determined by X-ray diffraction studies. The bdmae ligand is coordinated through the two N_pz atoms to the metal atom, which completes its coordination with two chlorine atoms in a cis disposition.Treatment of the corresponding ligand with [PdCl₂(CH₃CN)₂] in 1:1 M/L ratio in the presence of AgBF₄ and metathesis with NaBPh₄ in CH₂Cl₂/CH₃OH (3:1) gave [PdCl(bdmae)](BPh₄) (3), and in the presence of NaBPh₄ in CH₂Cl₂/CH₃CN (3:1) gave [PdCl(bdmai)](BPh₄) (4). Complexes 1 and 2 were again obtained when complexes 3 and 4 were heated under reflux in a solution of Et₄NCl in acetonitrile. These Pd(II) compounds were characterised by elemental analyses, conductivity measurements, IR, ¹H and ¹³C{¹H} NMR, HMQC and NOESY spectroscopies. The NMR studies of the complexes prove the rigid conformation of the ligands when they are complexed.