Photoreaction of platinum(II) beta-diketonate complexes with olefins

Pt(hfac)(2) [hfac = 1,1,1,5,5,5-hexafluoro-2,4-pentanedionato] reacts with ethylene when irradiated at 350 nm to yield a single photoproduct which we have isolated for the first time. X-ray diffraction reveals this to be Pt(h fac)(2)- (eta (2)-C2H4), a five coordinated complex, with two bidentate hfa c ligands remaining intact. When Pt(hfac)2 and ethylene were, irradiated at 300 nm, a second product that could not be isolated was detected by H-1 NM R and F-19 NMR. Pt(hfac)(2)(eta (2)-C2H4) was also shown not to be stable a t shorter wavelengths. The corresponding photoproducts of Pt(hfac)(2) with propene and of Pt(tfac)(2) [tfac = 1, 1, 1 -trifluoro-2,4-pentanedionato] w ith ethylene were detected by H-1 NMR spectroscopy.