A Transition State Analogue for the Oxidation of Binuclear Palladium(II) to Binuclear Palladium(III) Complexes

Cooperative metal–metal (M–M) redox chemistry has the potential to lower activation barriers for redox transformations relevant to catalysis. Pd2(III,III) complexes, generated by oxidation of Pd2(II,II) complexes, have recently been implicated as intermediates in a variety of Pd-catalyzed C–H oxidation reactions. M–M redox synergy, mediated by Pd–Pd bond formation and cleavage, has been proposed to facilitate both oxidation and reductive elimination steps during various Pd-catalyzed directed C–H oxidation reactions. Herein, we report a transition state mimic for the oxidation of Pd2(II,II) complexes which suggests that M–M redox synergy is involved in the oxidation of Pd2(II,II) complexes to Pd2(III,III) complexes.