Quantitative synthesis and full characterization of the first isolated and stable pincer palladium(IV) complexes. Quantitative and regioselective synthesis of the C-X (X = Cl, Br) reductive elimination products.

The pincer complexes [Pd(O(1),N(1),C(1)-L)X], where X = Cl, Br and L is the monoanionic ligand resulting from deprotonation of the acetyl methyl group of the monoketal of 2,6-diacetylpyridine (dap), react with excess of Cl(2) or Br(2) affording, quantitatively, the Pd(IV) complexes [Pd(O(1),N(1),C(1)-L)X(3)], which have been characterized by X-ray diffraction, and their decomposition that quantitatively affords the reductive elimination products L-X has been studied.