The coordination chemistry of perfluorovinyl substituted phosphine ligands, a crystallographic and spectroscopic study. Co-crystallisation of both cis- and trans-isomers of [PtCl2{P(i)pr2(CF=CF2)}2] within the same unit cell.

The coordination chemistry of the perfluorovinyl phosphines PEt2(CF=CF2), P(i)Pr2(CF=CF2), PCy,(CF=CF2) and PPh(CF=CF2)2 to rhodium(I), palladium(II), and platinum(II) centres has been investigated. The electronic properties of the ligands are estimated based on v(CO) and 1J(Rh-P) values. X-Ray diffraction data for the square-planar Pd(II) and Pt(II) perfluorovinyl-phosphine containing complexes allow estimates of the steric demand for the series of ligands PPh2(CF=CF2), PEt2(CF=CF2), P(i)Pr2(CF=CF2), PCy2(CF=CF2) and PPh(CF=CF2)2 to be determined. The (CF=CF2) fragment is found to be more electron withdrawing than (C6F5) yet sterically less demanding. These ligands therefore provide a range of electron-neutral to phosphite-like electronic properties combined with a range of steric demands. This study also reveals that short intramolecular interactions from the metal centre to the beta-fluorine atom cis to phosphorus of the CF=CF2 groups are observed in all-trans square planar complexes of the ligands. Unusually, the complex [PtCl2{P(i)Pr2(CF=CF2)}2] crystallises with both cis- and trans-isomers present in the unit cell. It appears that co-crystallisation of both isomers occurs in order to maximise fluorous regions in the crystal packing, and the extended structure displays short fluorine-fluorine contacts. The generation of mixed geometries seems to be a phenomenon of crystallisation, as solution phase NMR studies reveal the presence of only the trans-isomer.