Alkene metatheses in transition metal coordination spheres: dimacrocyclizations that join trans positions of square-planar platinum complexes to give topologically novel diphosphine ligands.

The alkene-containing phosphines PPh((CH2)(n)CH=CH2)2)2 are prepared from PPhH(2), n-BuLi, and the corresponding bromoalkenes (1:2:2), and combined with the platinum tetrahydrothiophene complex [Pt(mu-Cl)(C(6)F(5))(S(CH2CH2(-))2)]2 to give the square-planar adducts trans-(Cl)(C(6)F(5))Pt(PPh((CH2)(n)CH=CH2)2)2 (11, 93-73%; n=a, 2; b, 3; c, 4; d, 5; e, 6; f, 8). Ring-closing metatheses with Grubbs' catalyst (2) are studied. With, two isomers of trans-(Cl)(C6F5)[formula: see text](14)Ph)(15e) are isolated after hydrogenation. Both form via dimacrocyclization between the trans-phosphine ligands, but differ in the dispositions of the PPh rings (syn, 31%; anti, 7%). The alternative intraligand metathesis product trans-(Cl)(C6F5)[formula: see text](14)Ph)2 (16e) is independently prepared by (i) protecting 4e as a borane adduct, H(3)B.PPh((CH(2))(6)CH=CH2)2, (ii) cyclization with 2 and hydrogenation to give H(3)B[formula: see text] (14), (iii) deprotection and reaction with 12. The sample derived from 11e contains < or = 2% 16e; mass spectra suggest that the other products are dimers or oligomers. The structures of syn-15e, anti-15e and 16e are verified crystallographically, and the macrocycle conformations analyzed. As expected from the (CH(2))(n) segment length, 11a undergoes intraligand metathesis to give (Z,Z)-trans-(Cl)(C6F5)Pt[formula: see text]CH2)2)2 (86%), as confirmed by a crystal structure of the hydrogenation product. Although 11b does not yield tractable products, 11c gives syn-(E,E)-trans-(Cl)(C6F5[formula:see text](21%). This structure, and that of the hydrogenation product (syn-15c; 95%), are verified crystallographically. Analogous sequences with 11d,f give syn-15d (5 and 14% overall).