SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF PT(II)-CATECHOLATE AND AMIDOPHENOLATE COMPLEXES - X-RAY CRYSTAL-STRUCTURES OF PT(O2C6H2(NO2)(2))(PME(2)PH)(2) AND PT(NHC6H4O)(PPH(3))(2)

Treatment of cis-MCl(2)L(2) (L = phosphine or COD) with (OH)(2)C6H2-3, 5-(NO2)(2)[3,5-dncH(2)], 2-NH2C6H4OH [amOH(2)] or 4-NO2C6H3(NH2)(2) [n pdaH(2)] in the presence of base (dbu or triethylamine) gives Pt(3,5-d nc)(PR(3))(2) [PR(3) = PMePh(2) (1), PMe(2)Ph (2)] and Pt(amO)(PR(3))( 2) [PR(3) = PMe(3) (3), PMe(2)Ph (4), PPh(3) (5)], and M(npda)(COD) [M = Pt (6), Pd (7)] and Pt(3,5-dnc)(COD) (8). The molecular structures of 2 and 5 have been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. C ompound 2 displays square planar coordination with the catecholate lig ands forming overlapping ''dimer pairs'' with pi-pi and O...Pt interac tions. In contrast, 5 has distorted square planar geometry together wi th marked differences between the Pt-P distances trans to the oxygen a nd nitrogen.