An air-stable organometallic low-molecular-mass gelator: Synthesis, aggregation, and catalytic application of a palladium pincer complex

Abstract

(Chemical Equation Presented) An efficient organometallic gelator can gel a variety of organic solvents even in concentrations as low as 0.2 wt %. π Stacking of the heteroarene moieties, van der Waals interactions between the alkyl chains, and metal-metal interactions may be responsible for the aggregation. This palladium pincer bis(carbene) complex (see scheme) is the first air-stable organometallic low-molecular-mass gelator that reveals promising catalytic activity in the gel state. © 2007 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.