ENERGY PROFILE OF A RAPID, REVERSIBLE OXIDATIVE ADDITION-REACTION

The trimethyltin halides undergo a very fast, reversible oxidative add ition reaction with [PtMe(2)(Bu(2)bipy)], Bu(2)bipy = 4,4'-di-tert-but yl-2,2'-bipyridine, to give [PtXMe(2)(SnMe(3))(Bu(2)bipy)] for which a complete energy profile can be obtained by using variable-temperature NMR methods; the reaction with X = l is the fastest known oxidative a ddition and activation energies when X = Cl suggest a detailed structu re for the transition state.