[1H, 15N] heteronuclear single quantum coherence NMR study of the mechanism of aquation of platinum(IV) ammine complexes.

The aquation and hydrolysis of a series of platinum(IV) complexes of the general form cis, trans, cis-[PtCl 2(X) 2( (15)NH 3) 2] (X = Cl (-), O 2CCH 3 (-), OH (-)) have been followed by [ (1)H, (15)N] Heteronuclear Single Quantum Coherence NMR spectroscopy. Negligible aquation (<5%) is observed for the complexes where X = O 2CCH 3 (-) or OH (-) over 3-4 weeks. Aquation of cis-[PtCl 4( (15)NH 3) 2] ( 1) is observed, and the rate of aquation increases with increasing pH and upon the addition of 0.01 mol equiv of the platinum(II) complex cis-[PtCl 2( (15)NH 3) 2] (cisplatin). The first aquated species formed from cis-[PtCl 4(NH 3) 2] has one of the axial chloro groups (relative to the equatorial NH 3 ligands) replaced by an aqua/hydroxo ligand. The second observed substitution occurs in an equatorial position. Peaks that are consistent with five of the eight possible aquation species were observed in the NMR spectra.