Cationic palladium(II), platinum(II) and ruthenium(II) complexes containing a chelating difluoro-substituted thiourea ligand

The fluorine substituted thiourea 2,6-F₂C₆H₃C(O)NHC(S)NEt₂ was prepared in good yield from the reaction of 2,6-F₂C₆H₃C(O)Cl with KSCN and Et₂NH in acetone. Using this compound several heteroleptic, monocationic Pd(II), Pt(II) and Ru(II) complexes of the type cis-M{κ²S,O-2,6-F₂C₆H₃C(O)NC(S)NEt₂}(L)]PF₆ M = Pt, Pd; L = (Ph₃P)₂, ^tBu₂bipy, 1,10-phen] as well as Ru(η⁶-p-cym){κ²S,O-2,6-F₂C₆H₃C(O)NC(S)NEt₂}(PPh₃)]PF₆ were prepared in high yields. The compounds were characterised by spectroscopic methods and, in one case, by single crystal X-ray diffraction.