Dancing of Palladacycles around a “Juggler” 2,2-Diacetyl-1,1-Ethylenedithiolato Ligand in a Trinuclear Pd(II) Complex

A trinuclear Pd complex containing a μ3-1,1-ethylenedithiolato
ligand has been synthesized and its structure confirmed by X-ray
crystallography. It is the first example of a 1,1-ethylenedithiolato
complex containing an anionic carbon σ donor. This compound
shows an unprecedented fluxional behavior in solution, by which
the three palladacycles exchange around the dithiolene. The
activation parameters for this process have been derived by NMR
line shape analysis, and a mechanism is proposed.