Novel tailoring reaction for two adjacent coordinated nitriles giving platinum 1,3,5-triazapentadiene complexes

The tailoring reaction of the two adjacent nitrile ligands in cis-PtCl(2)(RCN)(2)] (R = Me, Et, CH(2)Ph, Ph) and Pt(tmeda)(EtCN)(2)]SO(3)CF(3)](2) (8.(OTf)(2); tmeda = N,N,N',N'-tetramethylethylenediamine) upon their interplay with N,N'-diphenylguanidine (DPG; NH=C(NHPh)(2)), in a 1:2 molar ratio gives the 1,3,5-triazapentadiene complexes PtCl(2){NHC(R)NHC(R)=NH}] (1-4) and Pt(tmeda){NHC(Et)NHC(Et)NH}]SO(3)CF(3)](2) (10.(OTf)(2)), respectively. In contrast to the reaction of 8.(OTf)(2) with NH=C(NHPh)(2), interaction of 8.(OTf)(2) with excess gaseous NH(3) leads to formation of the platinum(II) bis(amidine) complex cis-Pt(tmeda){NH=C(NH(2))Et}(2)]SO(3)CF(3)](2) (9.(OTf)(2)). Treatment of trans-PtCl(2)(RCN)(2)] (R = Et, CH(2)Ph, Ph) with 2 equiv of NH=C(NHPh)(2) in EtCN (R = Et) and CH(2)Cl(2) (R = CH(2)Ph, Ph) solutions at 20-25 degrees C leads to PtCl{NH=C(R)NC(NHPh)=NPh}(RCN)] (11-13). When any of the trans-PtCl(2)(RCN)(2)] (R = Et, CH(2)Ph, Ph) complexes reacts in the corresponding nitrile RCN with 4 equiv of DPG at prolonged reaction time (75 degrees C, 1-2 days), complexes containing two bidentate 1,3,5-triazapentadiene ligands, i.e. Pt{NH=C(R)NC(NHPh)=NPh}(2)] (14-16), are formed. Complexes 14-16 exhibit strong phosphorescence in the solid state, with quantum yields (peak wavelengths) of 0.39 (530 nm), 0.61 (460 nm), and 0.74 (530 nm), respectively. The formulation of the obtained complexes was supported by satisfactory C, H, and N elemental analyses, in agreement with FAB-MS, ESI-MS, IR, and (1)H and (13)C{(1)H} NMR spectra. The structures of 1, 2, 4, 11, 13, 14, 9.(picrate)(2), and 10.(picrate)(2) were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction.