Platinum(II) Complexes with Coordinated Electron-Withdrawing Fluoroalkyl and Fluoroaryl Ligands: Synthesis, Reactivity, and Catalytic Activity

The synthesis, reactivity, and catalytic activity of Pt(II) phosphine complexes containing σ-metal-bound fluoroalkyl and fluoroaryl ligands are surveyed. The increased Pt–C(RF) chemical stability has allowed the isolation and investigation of a series of stable transition-metal hydride, hydroxo, and peroxo complexes. The relative inertness of these complexes coupled with an increased Lewis acidity of the metal center led to the catalytic oxidation of organic substrates (e.g., epoxidation and hydroxylation) in the presence of hydrogen peroxide.