Simple amine and diamine derivatives can promote the palladium catalysed direct -C–H arylation of aliphatic aldehydes via transient imine formation. Trifluoroacetate was shown to be crucial in promoting the reaction. Sub-stoichiometric quantities of simple N-tosylethylenediamine was shown to form a bidentate directing group with an imine linkage. Isolation of an unsymmetrical palladacyle has shown different potential binding modes of the secondary NTs coordinating group by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, suggestive of a hemilabile ligand.