Heterolytic carbon–iodine bond cleavage by a palladium(I) metalloradical

The well-defined Pd(I) metalloradical [Pd(PtBu3)2]+ reacts with aryl and alkyl iodides at room temperature, yielding [Pd(PtBu3)(μ-I)]2 and phosphonium salts. Pd(II) aryl/alkyl derivates, reflecting net radical oxidative addition of the substrate to the metalloradical, are generated during the reaction and two examples have been isolated and crystallographically characterised.