Palladium(II) induced preferential activation of the σ(Csp3H) versus the σ(Csp2, ferroceneH) bond of (SC)-[(η5-C5H5)Fe{(η5-C5H4)CHNCH(CO2Me)CH2CH2SMe}]

The reaction of (SC)-[(η5-C5H5)Fe{(η5-C5H4)CHNCH(CO2Me)CH2CH2SMe}] (1) with Na2[PdCl4] in the presence of NaAcO is studied. This process leads to the formation of the tetrametallic complex: [Pd2{[C{(CO2Me)CH2CH2SMe}NCH(η5-C5H4)]Fe(η5-C5H5)}2Cl2]·CH2Cl2. The X-ray crystal structure of this complex revealed that the ligand exhibits an unusual mode of binding, and that each palladium is bound to a stereogenic Csp3* carbon atom.