The first structurally characterized N-heterocyclic carbene complex with a ligand derived from pyrimidine

Oxidative addition of N-alkyl-2-halopyrimidinium cations to [Pd(PPh3)4] gives straightforward access to the cationic complexes [(PPh3)2(NHC)PdX]BF4 (3a,b) with pyrimidine-derived NHC-ligands. The new complexes were fully characterized including X-ray crystallography.