Synthesis of pi-aryloxide complexes of nickel and palladium

The reaction of the palladium chloroallyl dimer [Pd(mu-Cl)(eta(3)-C3H5)](2) , 1, with 2 equiv of the sodium salt of 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol (N aOAr) gives a thermally unstable, aryloxide-bridged binuclear allyl complex [Pd(mu-OAr)(eta(3)-C3H5)](2). In contrast, 2, the nickel analogue of 1, fu rnishes an unusual mononuclear allyl derivative, 4, which contains a pi,eta (5)-aryloxide ligand. Larger amounts of the sodium aryloxide react with 1 o r 2, affording binuclear "ate" complexes containing both sigma,mu- and pi,e ta(5)-aryloxide ligands.