Progress in NMR spectroscopy,Volume 11 : edited by J.W. Emsley,J. Feeney and J.R. Sutcliffe,Pergamon Press,Oxford, 1978, vii + 298 pages; $ 40.00 (£ 20)

Protonolysis of the complexes trans-[Pt(PEt₃)₂(R)(Me)] (R = C₆H₅ ; m-MeC₆H₄ ; o-MeC₆H₄ ; m-FC₆H₄ ; p-FC₆H₄ ; m-CF₃C₆H₄ and C₆F₅) by hydrogen chloride in methanol/water ($\text{90}\text{10}$ v/v) selectively cleaves the alkyl group yielding trans-[Pt(PEt₃)₂(R)Cl] and methane. A kinetic study of these reactions suggests that the primary step involves a proton transfer to the carbonmetal σ-bond with release of CH₄ in a three-center transition state.