The pyridylimine-substituted 1-naphthalenes, 2-(1-C10H7)-6-{CR[double bond, length as m-dash]N(2,6-i-Pr2C6H3)}C5H3N (R = Me HLMe, H HLH), react with Na2[PdCl4] in acetic acid at elevated temperature to afford either ortho-C-Hnaphthyl activated (LMe)PdCl (2ortho) or the unactivated adduct (HLH)PdCl2 (1b).