Acidities of platinum(II) mu-hydroxo complexes bearing diphosphine ligands

The pK(a) values in DMSO of the monoprotic complexes [(L(2)Pt)(2)(mu-OH)(mu-NMePh)](2+) (4) (L(2) = Ph(2)PCH(2)CH(2)PPh(2) (dppe), Ph(2)PCMe(2)PPh(2) (dppip)) are 11.9 +/- 0.1 (L(2) = dppe) and 13.5 +/- 0.2 (L(2) = dppip) as determined by (31)P NMR equilibrium titration with bases of known pK(a). Complexes 4 were prepared by treatment of [L(2)Pt(mu-OH)](2)(2+) (1) with N-methylaniline. The oxo complexes [(L(2)Pt)(2)(mu-O)(mu-NMePh)](+), formed in the equilibrium titration reactions, were independently synthesized in THF by deprotonation of [(L(2)Pt)(2)(mu-OH)(mu-NMePh)](2+) with NaN(SiMe(3))(2) and characterized as NaBF(4) adducts. Similar experiments with diprotic [L(2)Pt(mu-OH)](2)(2+) (L(2) = dppe, Ph(2)PCH(2)CH(2)CH(2)PPh(2) (dppp)) were complicated by exchange processes and were less conclusive, giving pK(a1) < 18 and pK(a2) > 18 in DMSO.