Variations in yields of di-µ-halogen-bis-[(trihapto-cycloalkenyl)palladium(II)] with ring size. An attempted correlation with the relative ease of hydrogenation of cyclic olefins

Abstract

The yields for the preparation of a series of di-µ-bromo-bis-(trihapto-cycloalkenyl)palladium(II) compounds increase in the sequence C₉ < C₈ < C₆ < C₇. In competitive reactions the reactivity of a series of 3-bromoalkenes with solutions containing palladium(II) increases in the order C₈ < C₆ < C₇. These results parallel the relative ease of hydrogenation of cyclic olefins. The unusual n.m.r. spectrum of di-µ-halogenobis-[(trihapto-cycloheptenyl)palladium(II)] is discussed.