Palladium acetate is a catalyst for many organic reactions by combining with many common classes of organic compounds such as alkenes, dienes, and alkyl, aryl, and vinyl halides to form reactive adducts. Alkenes and π-allyl coordination to palladium(II) acetate involves sigma-type donation from the pi orbital of the alkene or π-allyl with concomitant pi-backbonding into an empty pi* orbital on the alkene or π-allyl. The greater the sigma donation to the metal is, the greater the pi-backbonding. The greater the pi-backbonding is, the greater the reduction in the bond order of the alkene or π-allyl.[6] Reduction of the alkenes or π-allyl by coordination to palladium(II) acetate reverses the reactivity of the organic ligand allowing them to undergo reactions with nucleophiles rather than electrophiles