Isolation and X-ray structure of the platinum(II)-amidate complex cis-[PtCl{N(CO2Et)C(O)CH2CN}(PPh3)(2)], an intermediate in the silver(I) oxide-mediated synthesis of a platinalactam complex

The reaction of cis-[PtCl2(PPh3)(2)] with one equivalent of N-cyanoacetylur ethane, EtO2CNHC(O)CH2CN and silver(I) oxide, in dichloromethane at room te mperature for short reaction times gives the complex cis-[PtCl{N(CO2Et)C(O) CH2CN} (PPh3)(2)] in high yield. This complex is an intermediate to the pre viously reported platinaractam complex [Pt{N(CO2Et)C(O)CHCN}(PPh3)(2)]. The new complex was characterised by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, electrospr ay mass spectrometry, and a single-crystal X-ray study. The deprotonated cy anoacetylurethane ligand lies in a plane almost perpendicular to the platin um coordination plane. Other metal oxides were studied in place of silver(? ) oxide for the synthesis of the platinum amidate complex, but none were as successful as silver(I) oxide. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights r eserved.