2-Mercapto-1-t-butylimidazolyl as a Bridging Ligand: Synthesis and Structural Characterization of Nickel and Palladium Paddlewheel Complexes.

Nickel and palladium paddlewheel complexes that feature 2-mercapto-1-t-butylimidazolyl (mim(Bu(t) )) bridging ligands, namely Ni(2)[mim (Bu(t) )](4) and Pd(2)[mim (Bu(t) )](4), have been synthesized and structurally characterized by X-ray diffraction. Since the mim (Bu(t) ) ligand bridges in an asymmetric manner via a sulfur and nitrogen donor, paddlewheel compounds of the type M(2)[mim (Bu(t) )](4) may exist as isomers that are distinguished by the relative orientations of the ligands. In this regard, the (4,0)-Ni(2)[mim (Bu(t) )](4) and trans-(2,2)-Ni(2)[mim (Bu(t) )](4) isomers have been isolated for the nickel system, while the (4,0)-Pd(2)[mim (Bu(t) )](4) and (3,1)-Pd(2)[mim (Bu(t) )](4) isomers have been isolated for the palladium system.