Imido/nitrene ligands in the complexes of platinum metals

A synthetic search for palladium and platinum complexes with nitrene ligands via reaction of tetranuclear cluster Pd 4 ( μ 2 -CO) 4 ( μ 2 -OAc) 4 with nitrosobenzene and reactions of mononuclear complexes [MX 4 ] 2− (M=Pt, Pd; X=Cl, NO 2 ) with o -phenylenediamine and its N -phenyl derivative have been carried out. The complexes obtained, [Pd(OAc) o -(PhN)(NO)C 6 H 4 ] 2 , Pd[ o -(NPh)(N)C 6 H 4 ] 2 , Pt[ o -(NPh)(N)C 6 H 4 ] 2 , Pt 2 [ o -(NPh)(N)C 6 H 4 ] 4 [O 3 SCF 3 ] 2 , and Pt 2 [ o -(NPh)(N)C 6 H 4 ] 4 Br 2 , have been structurally characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction studies. The oxidation of complex Pt[ o -(NPh)(N)C 6 H 4 ] 2 by excess AgO 3 SCF 3 afforded a heterotricyclic quinoxaline derivative, whose structure has been determined by X-ray analysis. The data obtained suggest that labile nitrene species coordinated to Pd and Pt complexes are possible intermediates in the reactions under study.