Synthesis and reactivity of phosphine-arenesulfonate Palladium(II) alkyl complexes that contain methoxy substituents

Abstract Phosphine-arenesulfonate ligands that contain 1-3 methoxy substituents on the benzo linker, P(2-OMe-Ph) 2 (2-SO 3 Na-5-OMe-Ph) (Na[ 1a ]), P(2-MeO-Ph) 2 (2-SO 3 Na-4,5-(OMe) 2 -Ph) ( Na[1b] ) and P(2-MeO-Ph) 2 (2-SO 3 Li-3,4,5-(OMe) 3 -Ph) (Li[ 1c ]) were synthesized and isolated in 52–85% yield. Reaction of Na[ 1a,b ] and Li[ 1c ] with (COD)PdMeCl and pyridine generates the corresponding (PO)PdMe(pyridine) complexes 2a-c . 2a and 2b were isolated in crystalline form in 59% and 86% yield, respectively, while 2c decomposed during attempted isolation. 2a,b polymerize ethylene to linear polyethylene and copolymerize ethylene with vinyl fluoride (VF) to linear copolymer with ca. 0.5 mol % VF incorporation.