A platinum(II) metallonitrene with a triplet ground state.

Metallonitrenes (M-N) are complexes with a subvalent atomic nitrogen ligand that have been proposed as key reactive intermediates in nitrogen atom transfer reactions. However, in contrast to the common classes of nitride complexes (M≡N) and organic nitrenes (R-N), structurally and spectroscopically well defined 'authentic' metallonitrenes with a monovalent atomic nitrogen ligand remain elusive. Here we report that the photolysis of a platinum(II) pincer azide complex enabled the crystallographic, spectroscopic, magnetic and computational characterization of a metallonitrene that is best described as a singly bonded atomic nitrogen diradical ligand bound to platinum(II). The photoproduct exhibits selective C-H, B-H and B-C nitrogen atom insertion reactivity. Despite the subvalent metallonitrene character, mechanistic analysis for aldehyde C-H amidation shows nucleophilic reactivity of the N-diradical ligand. Ambiphilic reactivity of the metallonitrene is indicated by reactions with CO and PMe3 to form isocyanate and phosphoraneiminato platinum(II) complexes, respectively.