Reactivity of coordinatively unsaturated bis(N-heterocyclic carbene) Pt(II) complexes toward H(2). Crystal structure of a 14-electron Pt(II) hydride complex

The reactivity toward H2 of coordinatively unsaturated Pt(II) complexes, stabilized by N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands, is herein analyzed. The cationic platinum complexes [Pt(NHC')(NHC)](+) (where NHC' stands for a cyclometalated NHC ligand) react very fast with H2 at room temperature, leading to hydrogenolysis of the Pt-CH2 bond and concomitant formation of hydride derivatives [PtH(NHC)2](+) or hydrido-dihydrogen complexes [PtH(H2)(NHC)2](+). The latter species release H2 when these compounds are subjected to vacuum. The X-ray structure of complex [PtH(IPr)2][SbF6] revealed its unsaturated nature, exhibiting a true T-shaped structure without stabilization by agostic interactions. Density functional theory calculations indicate that the binding and reaction of H2 in complexes [PtH(H2)(NHC)2](+) is more favored for derivatives bearing aryl-substituted NHCs (IPr, 1,3-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene and IMes = 1,3-dimesityl-1,3-dihydro-2H-imidazol-2-ylidene) than for those containing tert-butyl groups (I(t)Bu). This outcome is related to the higher close-range steric effects of the I(t)Bu ligands. Accordingly, H/D exchange reactions between hydrides [PtH(NHC)2](+) and D2 take place considerably faster for IPr and IMes* derivatives than for I(t)Bu ones. The reaction mechanisms for both H2 addition and H/D exchange processes depend on the nature of the NHC ligand, operating through oxidative addition transition states in the case of IPr and IMes* or by a σ-complex assisted-metathesis mechanism in the case of I(t)Bu.