The first ligand-assisted stereoselective Wittig reactions. Synthesis and crystal structure of the 3-palladaindan-1-one, [Pd{C6H[C(O)CH2]-6-(OMe)3-2,3,4}(Me2NCH2CH2NMe2)]

Reactions of [Pd(RH)Cl(L–L)][RH= C6H(CHO)-6-(OMe)3-2,3,4] with Ph3PCHR (R = Ph or 2-pyridyl) gave mixtures of the isomeric compounds [Pd(E-R′)Cl(L–L)] and [Pd(Z-R′)Cl(L–L)][R′= C6H(CHCHPh)-6-(OMe)3-2,3,4 or C6H{CHCH(C5H5N-2)}-6-(OMe)3-2,3,4] when L–L = 2,2′-bipyridine or only the corresponding E isomers when L–L =N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethylenediamine; however, the complex [Pd(RME)Cl(tmeda)][RME= C6H{C(O)Me}-6-(OMe)3-2,3,4] reacts with Ph3PCHPh to give [[graphic omitted]]-6-(OMe)3-2,3,4}(tmeda)].