The role of solvent in organometallic chemistry — Oxidative addition with dichloromethane or chloroform

Dimethylplatinum(II) complexes [PtMe 2 (NN)], with NN = diimine ligand, can react with dichloromethane or chloroform solvent to give the corresponding organoplatinum(IV) complexes [PtClMe 2 (CH 2 Cl)(NN)] or [PtClMe 2 (CHCl 2 )(NN)], respectively. The products can exist in isomeric forms, corresponding to products of cis or trans oxidative addition. The structures of three dichloromethane adducts and one chloroform adduct are reported.