Catalytic copolymerization of CO and ethylene with a charge neutral palladium(II) zwitterion

A zwitterionic palladium II (Pd(II)) alkyl complex supported by the anionic ligand [Ph2BP2], acting as a very active catalyst for the copolymerization of CO and ethylene at ambient temperature is reported. Analysis suggests that a more electron-rich, zwitterionic [Ph2BP2] system is essentially as active as the conventional bis-diphenyl(phosphino)propane (dppp) system, which is based upon cationic palladium.