Abstract Reactions of HgR 2 (R= CH 2 CH 2 Ph, 1a; CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 Ph, 1b; CH 2 CHMePh, 1c)(prepared from HgCl 2 and the requisite Grignard compounds) with lithium in toluene afforded (phenylalkyl) lithium compounds LiR (2a− c) in yields of between 64 and 81%. At− 30 C, they react with [PdCl 2 (dppe)][dppe= 1, 2-bis (diphenylphosphanyl) ethane] yielding bis (phenylalkyl) palladium (II) complexes [PdR 2 (dppe)](3a− c) which were isolated (T ...