Expanding the family of mesoionic complexes: donor properties and catalytic impact of palladated isoxazolylidenes

Abnormal isoxazolylidene complexes, a new subclass of mesoionic complexes containing an isoxazolium-derived carbene type ligand, have been synthesised via oxidative addition and compared to structurally related mesoionic complexes by using (31)P NMR spectroscopy as a convenient probe for their donor ability and in catalytic cross-coupling reactions.