The crystal and molecular structure of dicarbonylbis(diphenylethylphosphine) platinum(0) Pt(CO)2[P(C6H5)2(C2H5)]2

The complex dicarbonylbis(diphenylethylphosphine)platinum, Pt(CO)₂[P(C₆H₅)₂(C₂H₅)]₂, crystallizes in either of the enantiomorphous space groups P3₁21 (No. 152) and P3₂21 (No. 154) with cell dimensions a = 10.64(1), c = 22.06(1) Å, U = 2163 ų; p_c = 1.564 g/cm³ for Z = 3, p_m = 1.55(3) g/cm³. The intensities of 1177 independent reflections have been determined by counter methods with MoKα monochromatized radiation. The structure has been solved by the heavy atom method. The refinement, carried out by full-matrix least squares down to a final R factor of 0.042, has enabled the absolute configuration of the crystal sample (space group P3₁21) to be ascertained. The molecule is roughly tetrahedral, and has the metal atom lying on a two-fold axis of the cell. Bond parameters are: PtC = 1.92(2) Å, PtP = 2.360(4) Å, CPtC = 117(1)° and PPtP = 97.9(2)°. The PtC₂ and PtP₂ moieties make a dihedral angle of 86.0(3)°. The overall C₂ symmetry of the molecule is probably only a statistically averaged situation, a disorder in the PtCO interactions being apparent from the orientations of the thermal ellipsoids of the C and O atoms.