Synthesis and characterization of binuclear palladium(I) compounds and the influence of competing arenes

The binuclear palladium(I) compounds, [Pd2(Ga2Cl7)2(C7H8)2] (1), [Pd2(GaCl4)2(C9H12)2]·C9H12 (2) and [Pd2(Ga2Cl7)2(C6H5Cl)2] (3), have been prepared from palladium(II) chloride in gallium(III) chloride-arene reaction media. All isolated crystalline solids (1, 2 and 3) have been structurally characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. The results form quantum chemical calculations on the interaction energies of the arenes and the dipalladium unit of these compounds is also presented.