Pd(acac)(MeCN)2]BF4: air-tolerant, activator-free catalyst for alkene dimerization and polymerization

[Pd(acac)(MeCN)(2)]BF4 has been observed to catalyze selective substituted styrene dimerization and addition norbornene polymerization. Theoretical calculations based on BP86 density functional theory have been carried out to clarify the precatalyst activation mechanism.