Bis(alkoxycarbonyl) complexes of platinum preparation, reactivity and their role in carbonylation reactions

Bis(alkoxycarbonyl) complexes of platinum of the type [Pt(COOR)2L [L=1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane (dppe), 1,3-bis-(diphenylphosphino)propane (dppp), 1,4-bis(diphenylphosphino) butane (dppb), 1,1'-bis(diphenylphosphino)ferrocene (dppf) or 1,2-bisdiphenylphosphino)benzene (dpb); R=CH3, C6H5 or C2H5] were obtained by reaction of [PtCl2L] with carbon monoxide and alkoxides. Palladium and nichel complexes gave only carbonyl complexes of the type [M(CO)L] or [M(CO)2L]. The new complexes were characterized by chemical and spectroscopic means. The X-ray structure of [Pt(COOCH3)2(dppf).CH3OH is olso reported. The reactivity of some alkoxycarbonyl complexes was also investigated.