Synthesis, molecular structures, and chemistry of some new palladium(II) and platinum(II) complexes with pentafluorophenyl ligands.

A series of palladium(II) and platinum(II) complexes possessing pentafluorophenyl ligands of the general formula [M(L-L)(C6F5)Cl][space](M = Pd 3; L-L=tmeda (N,N,N',N',-tetramethylethylenediamine) a; 1,2-bis(2,6-dimethylphenylimino)ethane) b; dmpe (1,2-bis(dimethylphosphino)ethane) c; dcpe (1,2-bis(dicyclohexylphosphino)ethane) d; Pt ; L-L=tmeda a; 1,2-bis[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenylimino]-1,2-dimethylethane b; dmpe c; dcpe d) were readily synthesized from the dimer [M(C6F5)(tht)(mu-Cl)2] (M=Pd 1b, Pt 2b; tht=tetrahydrothiophene) and the corresponding bidentate ligand. In the case of palladium, the corresponding iodo analogues (6a-c) were readily synthesized in a one-pot reaction from [Pd2(dba)3], iodopentafluorobenzene, and the appropriate ligand. The platinum complexes 4c-d were then converted to the water complexes [Pt(L-L)(C6F5)(OH2)]OTf (L-L =dmpe 7a; dcpe 7b)via reaction with AgOTf in the presence of water. Attempts to convert the palladium complexes 3c-d to the corresponding water complexes resulted in the disproportionation of the intermediate water complex to form [Pd(L-L)(C6F5)2] (L-L=dmpe 8) or [Pd(L-L)2][OTf]2(L-L=dcpe 9). Upon standing in solution for prolonged periods, complex 7a undergoes an identical disproportionation reaction to the Pd analogues to form [Pt(L-L)(C6F5)2] (L-L=dmpe 10). Complexes 4c and 4d were converted to the corresponding hydrides (11b-c, respectively) using two different hydride sources: 11a was formed by the reaction of with NaBH4 in refluxing THF, while 11b was synthesized in near quantitative yield using [Cp2ZrH2] in refluxing THF. Attempts to synthesize eta2-tetrafluorobenzyne complexes [Pt(L-L)(C6F4)] (L-L=dmpe, dcpe) from reaction of 11a-b with butyllithium were unsuccessful. The molecular structures of 3a,4a, 4c, 4d, 6b, 7a, 8, 11b and have been determined by X-ray crystallographic studies, and are discussed.