Reactivity of {(Ph3P)Pt[μ-η2-HSiH(Ar)]}2 (Ar=2-isopropyl-6-methylphenyl) with phosphines. X-ray crystal structure of trans-{(dppe)Pt[μ-SiH(Ar)]}2

The dinuclear PtSi complex {(Ph3P)Pt{μ-η2-HSiH(IMP)]}2 (trans-1a–cis-1b=3:1; IMP=2-isopropyl-6-methylphenyl) reacted with basic phosphines such as 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane (dppe) and dimethylphenylphosphine (PMe2Ph) to afford different dinuclear PtSi complexes with loss of H2, {(P)2Pt[μ-SiH(IMP)]}2 [P=dppe, trans-2a (major), cis-2b (trace); PMe2Ph, 3 (trans only)]. Complexes 2 and 3 were characterized by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography (2a). In contrast, the reaction of 1a,b with the sterically demanding tricyclohexylphosphine (PCy3) afforded {(Cy3P)Pt{μ-η2-HSiH(IMP)]}2 (trans-4a–cis-4b 2:1) analogous to 1a,b where the central Pt2Si2(μ-H)2 core remains intact but the PPh3 ligands have been replaced by PCy3. Complexes 4a and 4b was characterized by multinuclear NMR and IR spectroscopies.