Asymmetric allyl-metal bonding in substituted (eta3-allyl) palladium complexes: X-ray structures of cis- and trans-4-acetoxy-

Enantiomerically pure cis and trans isomers of 4-acetoxy-[eta3(1,2,3)-cyclohexenyl]palladium chloride dimers (cis-1 and trans-1) were prepared from enantiomerically pure trans-1-acetoxy-4-chloro-2-cyclohexene. X-ray analyses of these complexes show that in the trans complex (trans-1) the six-membered ring prefers a chair conformation, whereas in the cis complex (cis-1) the cyclohexenyl ring has a boat conformation. According to the X-ray structure of trans-1 the Pd-C3 bond is shorter than the other allylic terminal palladium-carbon bond (Pd-C1). On the other hand, in cis-1 the Pd-C3 and Pd-C1 bond lengths are identical within the experimental error. The calculated structures (B3PW91/LANL2DZ + P) of trans-1 and cis-1 also display differences in the allylpalladium bonding. The asymmetric allylpalladium bonding in trans-1 is explained on the basis of pi-sigma electronic interactions between the 4-acetoxy substituent and the allyl-metal moiety.