A Versatile Palladium Synthon: [Pd(NHC)(PhC≡CPh)] (NHC = N‐Heterocyclic Carbene)

The synthesis and isolation of [Pd(NHC)(PhC≡CPh)] complexes are reported. These new 14-electron Pd(0)-complexes are key synthons leading to known palladium(0) and palladium(II) species, as well as permitting access to unprecedented mixed NHC-phosphite palladium(0) complexes.This motif permits the facile catalytic hydrosilylation of allenes. DFT calculations have allowed to characterize the relatively weak interaction between the metal and the diphenylacetylene ligand, with a comparison with a series of ligands with more or less coordinating power, bearing varied structural and electronic effects.