Synthesis and structural characterisation of group 10 metal(II) gallyl complexes: analogies with platinum diboration catalysts?

Reactions of the anionic gallium(i) heterocycle, :Ga{N(Ar)C(H)} (Ar = C(6)H(3)Pr(i)(2)-2,6), with a variety of mono- and bidentate phosphine, tmeda and 1,5-cyclooctadiene (COD) complexes of group 10 metal dichlorides are reported. In most cases, salt elimination occurs, affording either mono(gallyl) complexes, trans-[MCl{Ga{N(Ar)C(H)}}(PEt(3))(2)] (M = Ni or Pd) and cis-[PtCl{Ga{N(Ar)C(H)}}(L)] (L = R(2)PCH(2)CH(2)PR(2), R = Ph (dppe) or cyclohexyl (dcpe)), or bis(gallyl) complexes, trans-[M{Ga{N(Ar)C(H)}}(2)(PEt(3))(2)] (M = Ni, Pd or Pt), cis-[Pt{Ga{N(Ar)C(H)}}(2)(PEt(3))(2)], cis-[M{Ga{N(Ar)C(H)}}(2)(L)] (M = Ni, Pd or Pt; L = dppe, Ph(2)CH(2)PPh(2) (dppm), tmeda or COD). The crystallographic and spectroscopic data for the complexes show that the trans-influence of the gallium(i) heterocycle lies in the series, B(OR)(2) > H(-) > PR(3) approximately :Ga{N(Ar)C(H)} > Cl(-). Comparisons between the reactivity of one complex, [Pt{Ga{N(Ar)C(H)}}(2)(dppe)], with that of closely related platinum bis(boryl) complexes indicate that the gallyl complex is not effective for the catalytic or stoichiometric gallylation of alkenes or alkynes. The phosphaalkyne, Bu(t)C[triple bond, length as m-dash]P, does, however, insert into one gallyl ligand of the complex, leading to the novel, crystallographically characterised P,N-gallyl complex, [Pt{Ga{N(Ar)C(H)}}{Ga{PC(Bu(t))C(H)[N(Ar)]C(H)N(Ar)}}(dppe)]. An investigation into the mechanism of this insertion reaction has been undertaken.