Inorganic Chemistry, Vol.49, No.8, 3714-3720, 2010
Synthesis, Structure, and Electrochemistry of the Dicluster Molecular Pincer [Pt-3(mu-PBu2t)(3)(CO)(2)](2)(mu-1',1'''-diethynylbiferrocene)
The CuI catalyzed dehydro-halogenation of 1',1'"-diethynylbiferrocene and {Pt-3}Cl [{Pt-3} = Pt-3(mu-PBu2t)(3)(CO)(2)] (1:2 molar ratio) in diethylamine gives in high yields the bicluster derivative [{Pt3I}CC-(eta(5)-C5H4)Fe(eta(5)-C5H4)](2), 3, in which two platinum triangles are connected by a diethynylbiferrocene spacer. In the structure of 3, confirmed by a diffractometric study, the two {Pt-3} fragments lie, perfectly eclipsed, on the same side of the biferrocenyl moiety; this folded structure is also preferred in solution, as suggested by NMR Diffusion Ordered Spectroscopy (DOSY) and 1D Rotating-frame Overhauser Enhancement (ROE) measurements. Compound 3 exhibits a rich redox behavior, with a crowded sequence of six one-electron oxidation processes, the electrode potentials of which have been evaluated by digital simulations. On the basis of a spectroelectrochemical study, the first two oxidations are assigned to the iron centers of the diferrocenyl unit and the subsequent four electrons are removed from the {Pt-3} units.