2-Mercapto-1-t-butylimidazolyl as a bridging ligand: Synthesis and structural characterization of nickel and palladium paddlewheel complexes

Nickel and palladium paddlewheel complexes that feature 2-mercapto-1-t-butylimidazolyl (mim(But)) bridging ligands, namely Ni-2[mim(But)](4) and Pd-2[mim(But)](4), have been synthesized and structurally characterized by X-ray diffraction. Since the mimBut ligand bridges in an asymmetric manner via a sulfur and nitrogen donor, paddlewheel compounds of the type M-2[mim(But)](4) may exist as isomers that are distinguished by the relative orientations of the ligands. In this regard, the (4,0)-Ni-2[mim(But)](4) and trans-(2,2)-Ni-2[mim(But)](4) isomers have been isolated for the nickel system, while the (4,0)-Pd-2[mim(But)](4) and (3,1)-Pd-2[mim(But)](4) isomers have been isolated for the palladium system. (C) 2009 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.