Heteroleptic Chini-Type Platinum Clusters: Synthesis and Characterization of Bis-Phospine Derivatives of [Pt3n(CO)6n]2- (n = 2-4)

The reactions of [Pt_3n(CO)_6n]^2- (n = 2-4) homoleptic Chini-type clusters with stoichiometric amounts of Ph₂PCH₂CH₂PPh₂ (dppe) result in the heteroleptic Chini-type clusters [Pt₆(CO)₁₀(dppe)]^2-, [Pt₉(CO)₁₆(dppe)]^2-, and [Pt₁₂(CO)₂₀(dppe)₂]^2-. Their formation is accompanied by slight amounts of neutral species such as Pt₄(CO)₄(dppe)₂, Pt₆(CO)₆(dppe)₃, and Pt(dppe)₂. A similar behavior was observed with the chiral ligand R-Ph₂PCH(Me)CH₂PPh₂ (R-dppp), and two isomers of [Pt₉(CO)₁₆(R-dppp)]^2- were identified. All the new species were spectroscopically characterized by means of IR and ³¹P NMR, and their structures were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The results obtained are compared to those previously reported for monodentate phosphines, that is, PPh₃, as well as more rigid bidentate ligands, that is, CH₂═C(PPh₂)₂ (P^P), CH₂(PPh₂)₂ (dppm), and o-C₆H₄(PPh₂)₂ (dppb). From a structural point of view, functionalization of anionic platinum Chini clusters preserves their triangular Pt₃ units, whereas the overall trigonal prismatic structures present in the homoleptic clusters are readily deformed and transformed upon functionalization. Such transformations may be just local deformations, as found in [Pt₉(CO)₁₆(dppe)]^2-, [Pt₉(CO)₁₆(R-dppp)]^2-, [Pt₁₂(CO)₂₂(PPh₃)₂]^2-, and [Pt₉(CO)₁₆(PPh₃)₂]^2-; an inversion of the cage from trigonal prismatic to octahedral, as observed in [Pt₆(CO)₁₀(dppe)]^2- and [Pt₆(CO)₁₀(PPh₃)₂]^2-; the reciprocal rotation of two trigonal prismatic units with the loss of a Pt-Pt contact as found in [Pt₁₂(CO)₂₀(dppe)₂]^2-.

PPh3-derivatives of [Pt3n(CO)6n]2- (n = 2-6) Chini's clusters: syntheses, structures, and 31P NMR studies

The reaction of the [Pt3n(CO)6n](2-) (n = 2-6) Chini's clusters with increasing amounts of PPh3 has been investigated in detail by combined FT-IR, (31)P{(1)H} NMR, and electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) studies, showing that up to three CO ligands are gradually substituted by PPh3, resulting in isonuclear phosphine-substituted anionic clusters of general formula [Pt3n(CO)(6n-x)(PPh3)(x)](2-) (n = 2-6; x = 1-3). Further addition of PPh3 results in the elimination of the neutral Pt3(CO)3(PPh3)3 species and formation of lower nuclearity anionic clusters. [Pt12(CO)22(PPh3)2](2-) and [Pt9(CO)16(PPh3)2](2-) have been structurally characterized, and they maintain the trigonal prismatic structures of the parent homoleptic clusters, with the two PPh3 ligands bonded to different external Pt3-triangles in relative cis-position. Conversely, the crystal structure of [Pt6(CO)10(PPh3)2](2-) shows that its metal cage is transformed from trigonal prismatic to trigonal antiprismatic after CO/PPh3 exchange.

Contrasting photochemical and thermal reactivity of Ru(CO)2(PPh3)(dppe) towards hydrogen rationalised by parahydrogen NMR and DFT studies

The synthesis, characterisation and thermal and photochemical reactivity of Ru(CO)2(PPh3)(dppe) 1 towards hydrogen are described. Compound proved to exist in both fac (major) and mer forms in solution. Under thermal conditions, PPh3 is lost from 1 in the major reaction pathway and the known complex Ru(CO)2(dppe)(H)2 2 is formed. Photochemically, CO loss is the dominant process, leading to the alternative dihydride Ru(CO)(PPh3)(dppe)(H)2 3. The major isomer of 3, viz. 3a, contains hydride ligands that are trans to CO and trans to one of the phosphorus atoms of the dppe ligand but a second isomer, 3b, where both hydride ligands are trans to distinct phosphines, is also formed. On the NMR timescale, no interconversion of 3a and 3b was observed, although hydride site interchange is evident with activation parameters of DeltaH(double dagger) = 95 +/- 6 kJ mol(-1) and DeltaS(double dagger) = 26 +/- 17 J K(-1) mol(-1). Density functional theory confirms that the observed species are the most stable isomeric forms, and suggests that hydride exchange occurs via a transition state featuring an eta2-coordinated H2 unit.

New insights into catalytic hydrogenation by phosphido-substituted triruthenium clusters: confirmation of intact cluster catalysis by parahydrogen NMR

The phosphido-substituted triruthenium cluster Ru(3)(CO)(9)(mu-H)(micro-PPh(2)) is shown to react with H(2) to form the trihydride cluster Ru(3)(CO)(9)(H)(mu-H)(2)(mu-PPh(2)), which undergoes a number of re-arrangement reactions on heating to yield other phosphido-substituted triruthenium clusters. In the presence of alkyne substrates, heating the system leads to catalytic hydrogenation via CO loss and the formation of a Ru(3)(eta(2)-PhC[double bond, length as m-dash]CHPh)(CO)(8)(micro-H)(PHPh(2)) resting state, in a reaction affected by the polarity of the solvent. No mononuclear fragments are observed in the catalytic transformation, confirming directly that the phosphido ligand is able to exert a stabilising influence on the cluster core.