Phenylation of Platinum(II) Thioether Complexes by Tetraphenylborate(III) in Solid State and Nitromethane Solution

Platinum(II) complexes of the type [Pt(thioether)3Cl]+ (thioether = dimethyl sulfide, thioxane) are capable of abstracting a phenyl group from the BPh− 4 counterion with formation of trans-[Pt(thioether)2ClPh] compounds. Thermal reactions proceed both in the solid phase and in nitromethane solution at elevated temperature and have preparative importance. Phenylation of the Pt(II) centre also occurs in reaction between [Pt(Me2S)2Cl2] and AgBPh4 in CH2Cl2 suspension. Brief X-ray crystallographic structural data for trans-[Pt(Me2S)2ClPh] and [Pt(thioether)3Cl]X (thioether = Me2S, tx, X = SO3CF3; thioether = Me2S, X = PF6) are reported.