From Pincer to Paddlewheel: C-H and C-S Bond Activation at Bis(2-pyridylthio)methane by Palladium(II).

The bis(2-pyridylthio)methanidopalladium(II) pincer complex (1), containing a Pd-C bond, was obtained from the reaction of bis(2-pyridylthio)methane (H2L) with palladium(II) acetate in toluene under reflux. When palladium(II) trifluoroacetate was used, H2L reacted to generate the tetrakis(pyridine-2-thiol)palladium(II) complex (2). Complex 2 was converted to a heterobimetallic palladium(II)-iron(II) paddlewheel complex (3) upon treatment with iron(II) triflate in the presence of a base in acetonitrile at room temperature.