The treatment of 2,6-bis(oxazolinyl)phenyl bromide (Phebox-Br) with n-BuLi affords a Phebox-Li complex. Subsequent transmetalation with [SnClMe 3 ] affords a Phebox-Sn complex. The Phebox ligand can coordinate to a transition metal in various terdentate fashions; both the oxazoline oxygen and the imine nitrogen are perfectly positioned for chelation; "NCN", "OCO", or mixed terdentate coordination modes are theoretically possible using this ligand. The structural properties and NMR spectra of [Sn(Me,Me-Phebox)Me 3 ] (2) and [Li(R,R′-Phebox)] complexes 3a (R ) R′ ) Me), 3b (R ) iPr, R′ ) H), and 3c (R ) tBu, R′ ) H) were investigated. It was found that 2 exhibits no chelation of the Phebox ligand to the Sn center in this case. The [Li(R,R′-Phebox)] complex 3a has been crystallographically characterized and is in the form of a molecular dimer (i.e. [Li(Phebox)] 2 ), containing two formally three-center-two-electron bonds in a four-membered Li 2 C 2 ring. The formal Phebox anion is bonded to the lithium cation via the two ortho imine N centers and the intraannular aromatic C atom. The 13 C{ 1 H} NMR signal of C ipso , being a seven-line pattern with coupling constant 1 J( 13 C-7 Li) ) 18 Hz, confirms that the dimeric structure is maintained in solution at room temperature. Variable-temperature (VT) NMR studies of 3a indicate that a fluxional process is occurring at room temperature, which can be frozen out below -16°C (∆G q ) 56 kJ/mol). This fluxional process is not observed in VT-NMR studies on 3b,c. This is likely due to the presence of bulky (iPr or tBu) substituents that effectively shut down the pathways to rapid inversion of the puckering of the five-membered chelate ring.

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The fluorous complex [Pd(0)(P{C 6 H 4 -p-SiMe 2 (CH 2 CH 2 C 6 F 13 )} 3 ) 2 (MA)] (MA ) maleic anhydride) was synthesized and characterized by its NMR spectra. Together with the nonfluorous complexes [Pd(0)(PPh 3 ) 2 (alkene)] (alkene ) C 2 H 4 , (NC) 2 CdC(CN) 2 , NCC(H)d C(H)CN, MA, or benzoquinone) these were evaluated as catalyst precursors in the methoxycarbonylation of styrene. The nonfluorous C 2 H 4 and MA complexes gave the highest conversions (the turnover number (TON) was 120; the (average) turnover frequency (TOF) amounted to 80 h -1 ). The fluorous complex gave a significantly lower conversion (TON about 38; TOF 26 h -1 ) than its nonfluorous counterpart, which is caused by a lower stability of the fluorous complex under the reaction conditions.

Reaction of [PdClMe(P^N)2] with SnCl2 followed by Cl-abstraction leads to apparent Pd-C bond activation, resulting in methylstannylene species trans-[PdCl{(P^N)2SnClMe}][BF4] (P^N = diaryl phosphino-N-heterocycle). In contrast, reaction of Pt analogues with SnCl2 leads to Pt-Cl bond activation, resulting in methylplatinum species trans-[PtMe{(P^N)2SnCl2}][BF4]. Over time, they isomerise to methylstannylene species, indicating that both kinetic and thermodynamic products can be isolated for Pt, whereas for Pd only methylstannylene complexes are isolated. Oxidative addition of RSnCl3 (R = Me, Bu, Ph) to M(0) precursors (M = Pd or Pt) in the presence of P^N ligands results in diphosphinostannylene pincer complexes trans-[MCl{(P^N)2SnCl(R)}][SnCl4R], which are structurally similar to the products from SnCl2 insertion. This showed that addition of RSnCl3 to M(0) results in formal Sn-Cl bond oxidative addition. A probable pathway of activation of the tin reagents and formation of different products is proposed and the relevancy of the findings for Pd and Pt catalysed processes that use SnCl2 as a co-catalyst is discussed.