Hg(II)•••Pd(II) metallophilic interactions

Reaction of bis(pentafluorophenyl)mercury (1) with the Pd(II) complexes [Pd(salophen)] (I, salophen = N,N'-disalicylidene-o-phenylenediaminate) and [Pd(N boolean AND C)(OAc)](2) (II, N boolean AND C = (2-(2-pyridyl)phenyl-C,N)) leads to the formation of the supramolecular complexes [1-(I)(2)] and [1-(II)(2)] in which the mercury synthon is sandwiched by two molecules of the palladium complex. These complexes, whose formation can be observed in solution by UV-vis spectroscopy, have been fully characterized. The short Hg-Pd distances of 3.2841(2) angstrom in [1-(I)(2)] and 3.1065(8) angstrom in [1-(II)(2)] indicate the presence of a Hg-Pd metallophilic interaction which, at least for [1-(II)(2)], is complemented by a Pd(II)-> Hg (II) donor-or component.