The synthesis of organopalladium complexes containing a fluoro
ligand,
[(Ph3P)2Pd(F)R],
is described. Two general synthetic strategies have been
developed: (i) neutralization of
hydroxo palladium dimers,
[(Ph3P)2Pd2(R)2(μ-OH)2]
(R = Me or Ph), with TREAT HF
([(HF)3·NEt3]) in the presence of
PPh3 and (ii) the ultrasound-promoted exchange
between
[(Ph3P)2Pd(I)R] and AgF in benzene.
It is essential for the synthesis with TREAT HF that
no excess of the HF source is used; otherwise, the corresponding
bifluorides, [(Ph3P)2Pd(FHF)R], are formed instead. Conducting the I/F exchange in the
presence of 5−10% of the
corresponding organic iodide, RI, is beneficial for purity of the
desired fluoro complexes.
All complexes 1
−
10 have been
fully characterized by a variety of methods. The fluoro
ligand
in [(Ph3P)2Pd(F)R] is inert in
anhydrous media of low polarity. However, in the presence
of
trace amounts of water, F ligand exchange is observed. No
irreversible hydrolysis of the
Pd−F bond takes place as
[(Ph3P)2Pd(F)R] remains the only
observable (NMR) species in
the system. VT NMR studies of various
[(Ph3P)2Pd(F)R] in
CH2Cl2 saturated with water
have been conducted, revealing a push/pull-type, “ambiphilic”
mechanism of the H2O-promoted F ligand-exchange process. The Pd−F bond cleavage likely
involves nucleophilic
attack of water on the metal center, concomitantly occurring with the
formation of a hydrogen
bond between the fluoro ligand and H2O.