Platinum-mercury compounds as intermediates to mono- and di-arylplatinum(II) complexes

The reaction of HgR₂ (R = 2,5-C₆H₃Cl₂; 2,3,4- and 2,4,6-C₆H₂Cl₃; 2,3,4,5-,2,3,4,6- and 2,3,5,6-C₆HCl₄ and C₆Cl₅) with Pt(PPh₃)₃ gives the new stable compounds (PPh₃)₂RPt(HgR)] containing PtHg bonds. When R contains an ortho chlorine atom (R = 2,5-C₆H₃Cl₂; 2,3,4-C₆H₂Cl₃ and 2,3,4,5-C₆HCl₄) refluxing xylene solutions of these compounds gives the complexes PtR₂-(PPh₃)₂], with simultaneous precipitation of mercury. In the other cases the initial compounds are recovered unaltered. All the compounds containing the PtHg bond react readily with CF₃COOH to give a new series of compounds of formula Pt(O₂CCF₃)R(PPh₃)₂].