Preparation, Structure, and Reactions of Trifluoroacetimidoyl Palladium(II) Complexes

Trifluoroacetimidoyl metal complexes are useful intermediates for the selective synthesis of organofluorine compounds. Herein, we report preparations, structures, and reactions of fluorinated imidoyl palladium complexes. Oxidative addition of trifluoroacetimidoyl halides to Pd­(PPh3)4 afforded quantitatively the imidoyl palladium­(II) complexes with phosphine ligands. The reaction of trifluoroacetimidoyl iodides with Pd2(dba)3 provided the phosphine-free imidoyl palladium complex in high yields. The X-ray crystal structure analysis of the phosphine-free complex [Pd­(μ-I)­{μ-C­(CF3)N­(PMP)}]4 revealed a cyclic tetranuclear structure containing the imidoyl and iodo bridges. The generation of aminotrifluoromethylcarbene equivalents by protonation or electrophilic alkylation of imidoyl palladium­(II) complexes is discussed.