Competition between 3d metals(II) and palladium(II) in the reaction of heterobimetallic complexes Pd(μ-OOCMe)4M(OH2) (M = Ni, Co, Mn) with azobenzene

The reaction of PdII(μ-OOCMe)4MII(OH2) (M = Ni, Co, Mn) with azobenzene under mild conditions produces the homonuclear complex with ortho-metallated azobenzene (PhN = NC6H4)2Pd2(μ-OOCMe)2 (4) in higher than 90 % yield as the sole Pd-containing reaction product, while the co-metals are recovered as the corresponding MII acetates.