Palladium(II)–N-heterocyclic carbene complexes derived from proline: synthesis and characterization

Pd(II)–N-heterocyclic carbene complexes derived from proline have been successfully synthesized in good yields and their structures have been characterized by X-ray single crystal diffraction. It was found that the substituents on the N-atom of the pyrrolidine skeleton dramatically affect on the coordination pattern of the palladium complexes. In a word, when an electron-rich group as benzyl group was attached on the N-atom, both of the N-atom and NHC were coordinated to the Pd(II) center; while when an electron-poor group as Ts group was attached, a dimeric mono-coordinated Pd(II)–NHC was obtained exclusively.