Bridging π-coordination of pyrrole and indole over a Pd I –Pd I bond

π-Coordination of pyrrole or indole which lack a chelating functionality to a dinuclear Pd(I)-Pd(I) center is revealed. The dinuclear sandwich Pd(I)-Pd(I) complexes of pyrrole, N-methylpyrrole, or indole were synthesized and structurally characterized by X-ray crystallographic analysis. Indole employs the carbons of the six-membered ring in bridging π-coordination to a Pd(I)-Pd(I) center.