Chelating N-heterocyclic carbene alkoxide as a supporting ligand for Pd(II/IV) C-H bond functionalization catalysis

A Pd(IV) complex that represents a viable catalytic intermediate in Pd-catalyzed C-H bond halogenation reactions has been isolated and structurally characterized. It contains the first examples of both a Pd(IV) NHC bond and a Pd(IV) alkoxide bond and serves as a precatalyst for C-H bond halogenation. As such, this represents a new class of tunable supporting ligand systems in Pd(IV) catalysis.