Hydrogen exchange between amines and chloroform catalysed by palladium(II) amine complexes containing a β-diketonate anion in the outer sphere

Abstract

The palladium(II) complexes [PdL₄](β-dik)₂[L = a primary amine; β-dikH =β-diketone = acetylacetone (acacH) or trifluoroacetylacetone (tfacH)] and [Pd(β-dik)L₂](β-dik)(L = a secondary amine; β-dik = acac or tfac) act as effective catalysts for the hydrogen exchange reactions between amines and chloroform; the activity parallels the basicity of the counter-anion and secondary amine complexes exchange much more quickly than those containing primary amines.