Substitution of aqua ligands from <Emphasis Type="Italic">cis</Emphasis>-platinum(II) complexes bearing 2-(phenylthiomethyl)pyridine spectator ligands

Cis-Pt(II) complexes, namely Pt{2-(phenylthiomethyl)pyridine}(H₂O)₂](CF₃SO₃)₂ Pt(pyS ^Ph ), Pt{2-(4-tert-butylphenylthiomethyl)pyridine}(H₂O)₂](CF₃SO₃)₂ Pt(pyS ^{Ph( t -But)} ) and Pt{2-(4-fluorophenylthiomethyl)pyridine}(H₂O)₂](CF₃SO₃)₂ Pt(pyS ^PhF ), were synthesised and characterised. The pK _a1 and pK _a2 values of the complexes were determined titrimetrically. Substitution of the aqua ligands from these complexes by thiourea nucleophiles was studied at a pH of 2 and ionic strength of 0.1 M under pseudo-first-order conditions using stopped-flow and UV–visible spectrophotometric techniques. Substitution of the aqua ligands depends on both the nature and concentration of the incoming ligand, with low enthalpy and negative entropy of activation values. Substitution of the first and second aqua ligands occurs sequentially and fits the rate laws: k _{obs (1/2)} = k _(1/2) Nu]. The second-order rate constant, k ₁, relates to the substitution trans to sulphur, while k ₂ is the second-order rate constant for the subsequent substitution of the aqua ligand trans to pyridine. The rate of substitution of the first aqua ligand decreases in the order: Pt(pyS ^{Ph( t -But)} ) > Pt(pyS ^PhF ) > Pt(pyS ^Ph ), while that of the second decreases in the order: Pt(pyS ^{Ph( t -But)} ) > Pt(pyS ^Ph ) > Pt(pyS ^PhF ), reflecting the influence of the substituents on the spectator ligands. ¹⁹⁵Pt NMR spectra of aged solutions of complexes with the thiourea nucleophile suggest a subsequent but rapid concentration-independent ring opening of the N,S-bidentate ligand to form a PtS ₄ species. The crystal structure of Pt(pyS ^PhF )Cl ₂ was elucidated by X-ray diffraction analysis.