Palladium complexes of 6-aminofulvene-2-aldiminate (AFA) ligands.

Bis(N,N'-2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-6-aminofulvene-2-aldimine (4) has been synthesised and characterised. The synthesis and characterisation of two zwitterionic Pd(II) complexes [(Ph(2)AFA)Pd(Me)DMAP] (1) and [(Ph(2)AFA)Pd(N,N-dimethylbenzylamine-2-C,N)] (2) are reported. Activation of 1 and 2 for ethene polymerisation with Lewis acids such as BF(3) and B(C(6)F(5))(3) were not successful. Attempted synthesis of halide-bridged dimers of the form [(Ph(2)AFA)Pd(mu-X)](2) resulted in formation of bis-chelated complexes [(Cy(2)AFA)(2)Pd] (3) and [((t)Bu(2)AFA)(2)Pd] (5).