Pyridine-based dicarbene ligand: synthesis and structure of a bis-2-pyridylidene palladium complex

We herein report the synthesis of a bis-2-pyridylidene palladium(II) complex as an isoelectronic structure of the well-known 2,2'-bipyridine complexes. One-pot or stepwise C-Cl oxidative addition followed by base-mediated C-H palladation of the chlorobipyridine dication to palladium(0) yielded the bis-2-pyridylidene palladium(II) carbonate smoothly.