Photoreaction of platinum(II) beta-diketonate complexes with olefins

Pt(hfac)(2) [hfac = 1,1,1,5,5,5-hexafluoro-2,4-pentanedionato] reacts with ethylene when irradiated at 350 nm to yield a single photoproduct which we have isolated for the first time. X-ray diffraction reveals this to be Pt(hfac)(2)(eta(2)-C(2)H(4)), a five coordinated complex, with two bidentate hfac ligands remaining intact. When Pt(hfac)(2) and ethylene were irradiated at 300 nm, a second product that could not be isolated was detected by (1)H NMR and (19)F NMR. Pt(hfac)(2)(eta(2)-C(2)H(4)) was also shown not to be stable at shorter wavelengths. The corresponding photoproducts of Pt(hfac)(2) with propene and of Pt(tfac)(2) [tfac = 1,1,1-trifluoro-2,4-pentanedionato] with ethylene were detected by (1)H NMR spectroscopy.