Synthesis and crystal structure of trans-dichlorido[3-methyl-1-(4-vinylbenzyl)-1H-imidazol-3-ium-2-yl-κC2](4-phenylpyridine-κN)palladium(II)

The title compound, [PdCl2(C11H9N)(C13H14N2)], represents a new class of palladium-based polymerizable monomer which could give a potentially catalytically active polymer. It was synthesized via transmetallation from the corresponding silver complex. The PdII ion coordinates two Cl anions, one C atom from the N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligand and one N atom from the 4-phenylpyridine ligand, displaying a slightly distorted square-planar geometry. The dihedral angle between the imidazole ring and the pyridine ring is 34.53 (8)°. The Pd—C bond length between the NHC ligand and the PdII ion is 1.9532 (16) Å. In the crystal, weak non-classical C—H...Cl hydrogen bonds link the molecules into a tape structure along [101]. A weak π–π interaction is also observed [centroid–centroid distance = 3.9117 (11) Å].