Hemilability of 2-(1H-imidazol-2-yl)pyridine and 2-(oxazol-2-yl)pyridine ligands: Imidazole and oxazole ring Lewis basicity, Ni(II)/Pd(II) complex structures and spectra

Fourteen new imidazole chelate ligands and their metal(II) complexes were synthesized and used to establish the hemilability of 2-(1H-imidazol-2-yl)pyridine and 2-(oxazol-2-yl)pyridine ligands. An X-ray structure of Ni5b gave evidence for solvent induced ligand relocation while the structure of Pd2b provided evidence for solvent induced metal–ligand bond disconnection.