Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 31, 2026

Palladium N-Heterocyclic Carbene Complexes: Synthesis from Benzimidazolium Salts and Catalytic Activity in Carbon-carbon Bond-forming Reactions
Published on: July 30, 2017
Nitrogen adduction by three coordinate group 10 organometallic cations: platinum is favoured over nickel and
Matthew J Woolley1, George N Khairallah, Paul S Donnelly
1School of Chemistry, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, 3010, Australia.
Abstract:
Previous studies have shown that highly reactive product ions formed by collision-induced dissociation (CID) of precursor ions generated via electrospray can readily react with residual solvent or drying gases, especially in ion trap mass spectrometers. Here we report on the rapid addition of nitrogen to the coordinatively unsaturated organoplatinum cation, [(phen)Pt(CH(3))](+) (phen=1,10-phenanthroline) formed via decarboxylation of the acetate complex [(phen)Pt(O(2) CCH(3))](+). This contrasts with the related coordinatively unsaturated group 10 cations: addition of nitrogen to [(phen)Pd(CH(3))](+) occurs at longer reaction times, whereas addition of nitrogen to [(phen)Ni(CH(3))](+) is virtually non-existent. To better understand these reactions, density functional theory (DFT) calculations were carried out at the B3LYP/SDD6-31+G(d) level of theory to determine the N(2)-binding energies of [(phen)M(CH(3))](+). [(phen)Pt(CH(3))](+) has a higher binding energy to N(2) (1.06 eV) than either [(phen)Ni(CH(3))](+) (0.61 eV) or [(phen)Pd(CH(3))](+) (0.66 eV), consistent with the experimental ease of addition of nitrogen to the coordinatively unsaturated organometallic complexes, [(phen)M(CH(3))](+). Finally, [(phen)M(CH(3))](+) are reactive to other background gases, forming [(phen)M(O(2))](.+) (for M=Ni) in reactions with oxygen and undergoing water addition (for M=Ni, Pd and Pt) and water addition/CH(4) elimination reactions to yield [(phen)M(OH)](+) (for M=Ni and Pt).
More Related Videos
07:20Amide Coupling Reaction for the Synthesis of Bispyridine-based Ligands and Their Complexation to Platinum as Dinuclear Anticancer Agents
Published on: May 28, 2014
12:08Catalytic Reactions at Amine-Stabilized and Ligand-Free Platinum Nanoparticles Supported on Titania During Hydrogenation of Alkenes and Aldehydes
Published on: June 24, 2022
Related Concept Videos
Metal-Ligand Bonds
In these complexes, transition metals form coordinate covalent bonds, a kind of Lewis acid-base interaction in which both of the electrons in the bond are contributed by a donor (Lewis base) to an electron acceptor (Lewis acid). The Lewis acid in...
Coordination Number and Geometry
Properties of Organometallic Compounds
Coordination Compounds and Nomenclature
Valence Bond Theory
Complexation Equilibria: The Chelate Effect