First microwave-assisted synthesis of an electron-rich phosphane and its coordination chemistry with platinum(II) and palladium(II).

The P-O ligand 3-(di(2-methoxyphenyl)phosphanyl)propionic acid (HL) was synthesized by a microwave-assisted reaction of a secondary phosphane. The coordination of HL to Pt(II) yielded the neutral mononuclear complex trans-[PtCl(κ(2)-P,O-L)(κ-P-HL)] (1), while the reaction of PdClMe(η(4)-COD) (COD = 1,4-cyclooctadiene) with HL in the presence of NEt(3) gave the anionic Pd(II) compound of the formula (HNEt(3))[PdClMe(κ(2)-P,O-L)] (2). Upon crystallization of the latter compound the neutral chloride-bridged dimetallic compound cis-[Pd(μ-Cl)Me(HL)](2) (3) was obtained.

Surprising photochemical reactivity and visible light-driven energy transfer in heterodimetallic complexes.

The bis(bidentate) phosphine cis,trans,cis-1,2,3,4-tetrakis(diphenylphosphino)cyclobutane (dppcb) has been used for the synthesis of a series of novel heterodimetallic complexes starting from [Ru(bpy)(2)(dppcb)]X(2) (1; X = PF(6), SbF(6)), so-called dyads, showing surprising photochemical reactivity. They consist of [Ru(bpy)(2)](2+)"antenna" sites absorbing light combined with reactive square-planar metal centres. Thus, irradiating [Ru(bpy)(2)(dppcb)MCl(2)]X(2) (M = Pt, 2; Pd, 3; X = PF(6), SbF(6)) dissolved in CH(3)CN with visible light, produces the unique heterodimetallic compounds [Ru(bpy)(CH(3)CN)(2)(dppcb)MCl(2)]X(2) (M = Pt, 7; Pd, 8; X = PF(6), SbF(6)).