Structurally characterized intermediates in the stepwise insertion of CO–ethylene or CO–methyl acrylate into the metal–carbon bond of Pd(<scp>ii</scp>) complexes stabilized by (phosphinomethyl)oxazoline ligands

The initial CO-ethylene or CO-methyl acrylate insertion steps into the Pd-Me bond of methylpalladium(II) complexes with (phosphinomethyl)oxazoline ligands, leading to metallacycles, have been fully characterized, including by X-ray diffraction.