Metal−Metal Bonding in Sterically Frustrated Dipalladium Species

Stoichiometric-deficient lithiation of (2,6-diisopropylphenyl)(4-methylpyridin-2-yl)amine and reaction with [(cod)PdCl2] (cod = 1,5-cyclooctadiene) yield a dimeric Pd complex. X-ray structural
analysis of this complex reveals a very short Pd−Pd distance (2.429
Å). Topological analysis of the electron density and the electron
localization function from scalar relativistic density functional theory
calculations clearly indicate a Pd(I)−Pd(I) σ-bonding interaction,
for which the corresponding occupied localized orbital can be
identified.