Evidence for the formation of the (Ph3P)2Pt complex of 3,7-dimethyltricyclo[3.3.0.03,7]oct-1(5)-ene, the most highly pyramidalized alkene in a homologous series. Isolation and X-ray structure of the product of the ethanol addition to the complex.

[reaction: see text] Attempts to isolate the (Ph(3)P)(2)Pt complex of the highly pyramidalized olefin 3,7-dimethyltricyclo[3.3.0.0(3,7)]oct-1(5)-ene 2 by generation of 2 in the presence of (Ph(3)P)(2)PtC(2)H(4), followed by crystallization of the complex (2-Pt) from THF-ethanol, resulted in the isolation of the adduct of 2-Pt with ethanol (5). Calculations confirm that addition of alcohol across the C1-C5 bond is more favorable in 2-Pt than in the corresponding (Ph(3)P)(2)Pt complexes of less pyramidalized olefins, despite the stronger Pt-C bonds in 2-Pt.