Retardation of β-hydrogen elimination in PNP Pincer complexes of Pd

A series of new alkyl and alkoxide (FPNP)Pd complexes have been synthesized. The alkyls and alkoxides containing β-hydrogens display remarkable thermal stability. Thermal decomposition of (FPNP)PdOEt is very slow in pure C6D6 but is accelerated by the addition of EtOH co-solvent. It is proposed that the β-hydrogen elimination from (FPNP)Pd–OCH2R occurs via dissociation of the alkoxide anion.