Dalton communications. Synthesis and structural characterisation of [Pd 4 (µ 3 -CH)(µ-Cl) 3 (PBu t 3 ) 4 ]: a tetrahedral palladium cluster with a µ 3 -methylidyne ligand

The compound [Pd4(µ3-CH)(µ-Cl)3(PBut3)4] has been synthesised from [Pd2(dba)3](dba = dibenzylideneacetone), PBut3 and CHCl3 and characterised spectroscopically and by single-crystal X-ray analysis; it undergoes substitution reactions with Br– and tertiary phosphines and is a catalyst for the polymerisation of ethyne.