Ortho-mercurated [({N-methyl-N-arylamino} methyl)ferrocenes] and their transpalladation. Crystal structures of [ (η5-C5H5 )Fe{η5-C5H3 (HgCl )CH2N (CH3 )C6H4OCH3-4}]2, [ (η5 -C5H5 )Fe{η5 -C5H3 (HgCl )CH2N (CH3 )C6H4Cl -3}] and [ (η5 -C5H4HgCl )Fe{η5 -C5H4CH2N (CH3 )C6H4Cl -4}]

Abstract Treatment of ferrocenylamines [(η 5 -C 5 H 5 )Fe{η 5 -C 5 H 4 CH 2 N(CH 3 )C 6 H 4 R}] ( 4 ) (R = 4-MeO (a), 4-Me (b),  H (c),  4-Cl (d),  3-Cl (e),  3-NO 2 (f)) with mercury (II) acetate and lithium chloride yielded ortho -mercurated [(η 5 -C 5 H 5 )Fe{η 5 -C 5 H 3 (HgCl)CH 2 N(CH 3 )C 6 H 4 R}] ( 6 ) (R = same as before) and a minor product [(η 5 -C 5 H 4 HgCl)Fe{η 5 -C 5 H 4 CH 2 N(CH 3 )C 6 H 4 Cl-4}] ( 7 ) from 4d (R = 4-Cl). The character of the substituents on the phenyl rings might play an important role in governing the product distributions. The preference of intermolecular over intramolecular N–Hg interactions in 6 was observed and rationalized. Transpalladations of 6 via disodium tetrachloropalladate (II) gave the corresponding cyclopalladated complexes in low yields. The molecular structures of 6a , e , and 7 were determined by single crystal X-ray analysis.