The oxidative addition reaction of Pd(PPh3)4 with Cl2CPN(SiMe3)2 forms the phosphavinyl
phosphonium complex Cl(Ph3P)Pd[η2-C(Cl)(PPh3)PN(SiMe3)2] (IIIa), which results from
PPh3 migration from Pd to carbon in the η1-phosphavinyl intermediate trans-Cl(Ph3P)2Pd[C(Cl)PN(SiMe3)2] (IIa). The reaction of Pd(dba)(dppe) with Cl2CPN(SiMe3)2 forms the
η1-phosphavinyl complex cis-Cl(dppe)Pd[C(Cl)PN(SiMe3)2] (VI), which does not undergo
phosphine migration. Compound IIIa undergoes substitution of the chloride ligand by PPh3
or MeCN in the presence of KPF6 to generate [(Ph3P)2Pd(η2-C(Cl)(PPh3)PN(SiMe3)2)](PF6)
(IV) or [(Ph3P)(MeCN)Pd(η2-C(Cl)(PPh3)PN(SiMe3)2)](PF6) (V), respectively; the structure
of V was determined by X-ray diffraction studies. The reaction of Pd(PEt3)4 with Cl2CPN(SiMe3)2 forms the η1-phosphavinyl complex trans-Cl(Et3P)2Pd[C(Cl)PN(SiMe3)2] (IIb),
which does not undergo PEt3 migration. When 2 equiv of Pd(PEt3)4 are reacted with Cl2CPN(SiMe3)2 the phosphonio−methylene(imino)metallophosphorane complex Pd(PEt3)(Cl)[μ-η1:η2-C(SiMe3)(PEt3)PN(SiMe3)]Pd(PEt3)Cl (VIIa-b) forms as a 1:1 isomeric mixture.
Compound VIIa-b reacts with MeI or NaI to generate Pd(PEt3)(I)[μ-η1:η2-C(SiMe3)(PEt3)PN(SiMe3)]Pd(PEt3)I (VIIIa-b) and reacts with traces of water to generate Cl(Et3P)Pd[η2-C(SiMe3)(PEt3)P(O)NH(SiMe3)] (IX). The structure of VIIIb was partially determined,
and the structure of IX was determined by X-ray diffraction studies. Compounds VIIa-b,
VIIIa-b, and IX exhibit the first examples of coordinated methylene(imino, oxo)phosphorane
ligands.