Probing the Lewis basicity of the metalloligand [Pt-2(mu-Se)(2)(PPh3)(4)] on tin substrates by electrospray mass spectrometry

Electrospray Mass Spectrometry (ESMS) has been used as a tool to probe the reactivity of [Pt-2(mu -Se)(2)(PPh3)(4)] with tin(IV) substrates, which lea ds to the formation of charged coordination complexes via loss of halides. The metal substrates used in the displacement reactions are SnRxCl4 - x (x = 1, R = Me, Bu or Ph; x = 2, R = Me, Bu, Et or Ph; x = 3, R = Me, Ph) and Sn(CH2Ph)(2)Br-2. Most of these reactions gave both mono- and di-cations th rough displacement of one and two halides respectively by [Pt-2(mu -Se)(2)( PPh3)(4)]. ESMS was also used to monitor the progress of reactions. The pro ducts, upon isolation, were also characterized by NMR and X-ray single crys tal crystallographic analysis. The crystal structures of the aggregates [Pt -2(mu (3)-Se)(2)(PPh3)(4)(SnBuCl2)][PF6], [Pt-2(mu (3)-Se)(2)(PPh3)(4)(SnBu 2Cl)][PF6] and [Pt-2(mu (3)-Se)(2)(PPh3)(4)(SnMe2Cl)][PF6] are reported and discussed.