Dipalladium complex with bridging silylene ligands, [{Pd(dmpe)}2(μ-SiPh2)2], formed via dimerization of a bis(silyl)palladium complex

Heating a toluene solution of the bis(silyl)palladium complex [Pd(SiHPh2)(2)(dmpe)] (1) (dmpe = 1,2-bis(dimethylphosphino)ethane) at 60 degrees C afforded a dipalladium complex with bridging silylene ligands, [{Pd(dmpe)}(2)(mu-SiPh2)(2)] (2), accompanied by H2SiPh2 elimination. An X-ray crystallographic study of 2 suggested the presence of a Si center dot center dot center dot Si interaction in the four-membered Pd2Si2 ring.