Examination of the manner of interaction between Pd(0) and allylpalladium(II) complexes, both being involved as key intermediates in Pd-catalyzed allylic coupling, led us to discover a new role for such combinations in affecting the stereochemistry of the transformations. A similar investigation of the system involving Pd(0) and allenyl/propargyl complexes of Pd(II) led to the discovery of dinuclear Pd(I)bond;Pd(I) complexes containing bridging allenyl/propargyl ligands, which exhibited novel structural and reactivity aspects of great synthetic significance. A systematic comparison was made between the structure, stability, and reactivity of allyl and allenyl/propargyl ligands in dinuclear complexes and those in mononuclear counterparts. On the basis of MO calculations, coordination behavior specific to the ligands of the dinuclear complex is attributed to the occurrence of the back-donating interaction from filled Pdbond;Pd bonding orbitals to vacant ligand pi* orbitals. Similar bonding features are the origin of the ready synthesis of novel one-dimensional sandwich complexes composed of conjugated polyene ligands and linear polypalladium chains. A substitutionally labile dipalladium complex reacts with an equimolar amount of trienes or alkynes to give formal [4pi + 2sigma] or [2pi + 2sigma] adducts, respectively, which undergo further unique transformations with additional unsaturated substrates.
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