Properties of the [M(dppm)2M']2+ building blocks (M, M' = Pd or Pt): site selectivity, emission features, and frontier orbital analysis.

The homodinuclear [ClM(mu-dppm)(2)MCl] complexes 1 (M = Pd) and 2 (M = Pt) react with RNC ligands (R = Ph, xylyl, p-tolyl, p-C(6)H(4)iPr) to provide the A-frame [ClPd(mu-dppm)(2)(mu-C=N-R)PdCl] (R = Ph (5a), xylyl (5b)), [ClPt(mu-dppm)(2)(mu-C=N-R)PtCl] (R = p-tolyl (4a); p-C(6)H(4)iPr (4b)), and the d(9)-d(9) M(2)-bonded [ClPt(mu-dppm)(2)Pt(CN-R)]Cl (R = xylyl (3a); p-C(6)H(4)iPr (3b)) complexes. The heterodinuclear [XPd(mu-dppm)(2)PtX] complexes 6a (X = Cl) and 6b (X = I) react with RNC (R = o-anisyl) to form the A-frame [XPd(mu-dppm)(2)(mu-C=N-R)PtX] (X = Cl (9); I (10a)) and M(2)-bonded [ClPt(mu-dppm)(2)Pt(CN-R)]Cl (10b) complexes. The dangling ligand-containing complex ClPd(mu-dppm)(2)Pt(eta(1)-dppm=O) (7) reacts with xylyl-NC stoichiometrically to produce the dicationic salt (xylyl-NC)Pd(mu-dppm)(2)Pt(eta(1)-dppm=O)(2) (8). Parameters ruling the coordination site terminal versus bridging are discussed. The precursor 10a reacts with RNC (R = o-anisyl, tBu) to form the heterobimetallic bis(isonitrile) [IPd(mu-dppm)(2)(mu-C=N-o-anisyl)Pt(CN-R)]I complexes 11b and 12, respectively, demonstrating the site selectivity of the second CNR ligand coordination, Pd versus Pt. The X-ray structures of 11b and 12 were obtained. Complex 12 is the first example of an A-frame system of the Ni-triad bearing two different isocyanide ligands. Several d(9)-d(9) terminal and d(8)-d(8) A-frame homo- and heterodinuclear complexes in 2-MeTHF at 77 K were studied by UV-vis and luminescence spectroscopy. Assignments for the lowest energy absorption and emission bands are made on the basis of density functional theory and time-dependent density functional theory computations.