title: Reaction chemistry of complexes containing Pt--H, Pt--SH, or Pt--S fragments: from their apparent simplicity to the maze of reactions underlying their interconversion.
abstract: The relevance of platinum in the reaction of thiophene and derivatives with homogeneous transition-metal complexes as models for hydrodesulfurization has led us to the study of the reaction chemistry of complexes containing Pt--H, Pt--SH, and Pt--S fragments. Exploration of the reactions triggered by addition of controlled amounts of Na2S or NaSH to [Pt2(H)2(mu-H)(dppp)2]ClO4 (1) has provided evidence of the formation of complexes [Pt2(mu-H)(mu-S)(dppp)2]ClO4 (2), [Pt(H)(SH)(dppp)] (3), [Pt2(mu-S)2(dppp)2] (4), [Pt2(mu-S)(dppp)2] (5) and [Pt(SH)2(dppp)], in which dppp denotes 1,3-bis(diphenylphosphanyl)propane. Consequently, complexes 1, 2, and 5 as well as the already reported 3, 4, and [Pt(SH)2(dppp)] have been obtained and fully characterized spectroscopically. Also the crystal structures of 1 and 2 have been solved. Complexes 1-5 constitute the main framework of the network of reactions that account for the evolution of 1 under various experimental conditions as shown in Scheme 1. Apparently, this network has complexes 2 and 4 as dead-ends. However, their reciprocal interconversion by means of the replacement of one bridging hydride or sulfide ligand in the respective {Pt(mu-H)(mu-S)Pt} and {Pt(mu-S)2Pt} cores enables the closure of the reaction cycle involving complexes 1-5. Theoretical calculations support the existence of the undetected intermediates proposed for conversion from 1 to 2 and from 3 to 2 and also account for the fluxional behavior of 1 in solution. The intermediates proposed are consistent with the experimental results obtained in comparable reactions carried out with labeled reagents, which have provided evidence that complex 1 is the source of the hydride ligands in complexes 2 and 3. Overall, our results show the strong dependence on the experimental conditions for the formation of complexes 1-5 as well as for their further conversion in solution.
authors.affiliation: Departament de Química, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Novio
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: González-Duarte
authors.forename: Agustí
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lledós
authors.forename: Rubén
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mas-Ballesté