Reaction of bis(pentafluorophenyl)mercury (1) with the Pd(II) complexes [Pd(salophen)] (I, salophen = N,N'-disalicylidene-o-phenylenediaminate) and [Pd(N--C)(OAc)]2 (II, N--C = (2-(2-pyridyl)phenyl-C,N)) leads to the formation of the supramolecular complexes [1-(I)2] and [1-(II)2] in which the mercury synthon is sandwiched by two molecules of the palladium complex. These complexes, whose formation can be observed in solution by UV-vis spectroscopy, have been fully characterized. The short Hg-Pd distances of 3.2841(2) A in [1-(I)2] and 3.1065(8) A in [1-(II)2] indicate the presence of a Hg-Pd metallophilic interaction which, at least for [1-(II)2], is complemented by a Pd(II)-->Hg(II) donor-or component.
