Construction of modular Pd/Cu multimetallic chains via ligand- and anion-controlled metal-metal interactions.

The presence of Pd⋯Cu and Pd⋯Pd interactions as well as the order of metal atoms in a chain held by a modular polynucleating ligand is controlled by the coordinating ability of the anions, leading to selective formation of bi- and tetranuclear Pd/Cu and Pd4 chains. Metal-metal cooperative reactivity in these complexes was tested in Ar-O bond formation and alkyne activation.