Synthesis of Pd(II) coordination complexes of (S)-4-isobutyl-2-methyl-2-oxazoline and (S)-2-(2,2-dimethylpropyl)-4-isopropyl-2-oxazoline

(S)-4-Isobutyl-2-methyl-2-oxazoline (1) was obtained from ethyl acetimidate hydrochloride and l-leucinol in 81% yield. (S)-2-(2,2-Dimethylpropyl)-4-isopropyl-2-oxazoline (2) was synthesized from 3,3-dimethylbutyryl chloride and l-valinol in two steps in a total yield of 44%. Reactions of oxazolines 1 and 2 with Pd(OAc)2 in AcOH or MeCN at different temperatures followed by treatment with LiCl resulted in the formation of the corresponding coordination complexes PdCl2(1)2 and PdCl2(2)2 with no traces of cyclopalladated complexes.