Chiral 2,6-lutidinyl-biscarbene complexes of palladium

Chiral complexes of palladium, 1, with the new tridentate ‘pincer’ ligand 2,6-lutidinyl-biscarbene (C⁁N⁁C), have been prepared; in the solid state they exhibit helical C2 symmetrical structures which are persistent in solution at least up to 80 °C; the chiral nature of 1 has been established by NMR methods using Pirkle’s acid as a chiral discriminating agent; racemic mixtures of 1 are highly active catalysts in Heck coupling reactions.