A Truncated Molecular Star.

A pentanuclear coordination complex assembled from any palladium(II) component and non-chelating ligands is hitherto unreported. The pentanuclear complex [Pd5 (L1)5 (L2)5 ](BF4 )10 , 1 reported here was prepared by the spontaneous complexation of [Pd(DMSO)4 ](BF4 )2 with the non-chelating bidentate ligands 1,4-phenylenebis(methylene) diisonicotinate, L1 and 4,4'-bipyridine, L2 in a one-pot method at room temperature. The planar polycyclic complex 1 with outer diameters of ≈3 nm is termed as a "molecular star" owing to its resemblance with a pentagram shape. Interim paths leading to the star were also probed to decipher related dynamics of the system.