title: Pop-the-cork strategy in synthetic utilization of imines: stabilization by complexation and activation via liberation of the ligated species.
abstract: Treatment of trans-[PtCl(4)(RCN)(2)] (R = Me, Et) with ethanol allowed the isolation of trans-[PtCl(4)[E-NH[double bond]C(R)OEt](2)]. The latter were reduced selectively, by the ylide Ph(3)P[double bond]CHCO(2)Me, to trans-[PtCl(2)[E-NH[double bond]C(R)OEt](2)]. The complexed imino esters NH[double bond]C(R)OEt were liberated from the platinum(II) complexes by reaction with 2 equiv of 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane (dppe) in chloroform; the cationic complex [Pt(dppe)(2)]Cl(2) precipitates almost quantitatively from the reaction mixture and can be easily separated by filtration to give a solution of NH[double bond]C(R)OEt with a known concentration of the imino ester. The imino esters efficiently couple with the coordinated nitriles in trans-[PtCl(4)(EtCN)(2)] to give, as the dominant product, [PtCl(4)[NH[double bond]C(Et)N[double bond]C(R)OEt](2)] containing a previously unknown linkage, i.e., ligated N-(1-imino-propyl)-alkylimidic acid ethyl esters. In addition to [PtCl(4)[NH[double bond]C(Et)N[double bond]C(Et)OEt](2)], another compound was generated as the minor product, i.e., [PtCl(4)(EtCN)[NH[double bond]C(Et)N[double bond]C(Et)OEt]], which was reduced to [PtCl(2)(EtCN)[NH[double bond]C(Et)N[double bond]C(Et)OEt]], and this complex was characterized by X-ray single-crystal diffraction. The platinum(IV) complexes [PtCl(4)[NH[double bond]C(Et)N[double bond]C(R)OEt](2)] are unstable toward hydrolysis and give EtOH and the acylamidine complexes trans-[PtCl(4)[Z-NH[double bond]C(Et)NHC(R)[double bond]O](2)], where the coordination to the Pt center results in the predominant stabilization of the imino tautomer NH[double bond]C(Et)NHC(R)[double bond]O over the other form, i.e., NH(2)C(Et)[double bond]NC(R)[double bond]O, which is the major one for free acylamidines. The structures of trans-[PtCl(4)[Z-NH[double bond]C(Et)NHC(R)[double bond]O](2)] (R = Me, Et) were determined by X-ray studies. The complexes [PtCl(4)[NH[double bond]C(Et)N[double bond]C(R)OEt](2)] were reduced to the appropriate platinum(II) compounds [PtCl(2)[NH[double bond]C(Et)N[double bond]C(R)OEt](2)], which, similarly to the appropriate Pt(IV) compounds, rapidly hydrolyze to yield the acylamidine complexes [PtCl(2)[NH[double bond]C(Et)NHC(R)[double bond]O](2)] and EtOH. The latter acylamidine compounds were also prepared by an alternative route upon reduction of the corresponding platinum(IV) complexes. Besides the first observation of the platinum(IV)-mediated nitrile-imine ester integration, this work demonstrates that the application of metal complexes gives new opportunities for the generation of a great variety of imines (sometimes unreachable in pure organic chemistry) in metal-mediated conversions of organonitriles, the "storage" of imino species in the complexed form, and their synthetic utilization after liberation.
authors.affiliation: St. Petersburg State University, 198504 Stary Petergof, Russian Federation.
authors.forename: Nadezhda A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Bokach
authors.forename: Vadim Yu
authors.initials: VY
authors.lastname: Kukushkin
authors.forename: Matti
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haukka
authors.forename: João J R Fraústo
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.forename: Armando J L
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Pombeiro