C−H Activation by a Diplatinum(II) Complex:  Isolation and Structures of [Pt₂(CH₃)(SMe₂)Ph₂(ttab)][BAr‘₄] and [Pt₂(H₂O)₂Ph₂(ttab)][BAr‘₄]₂ (ttab = 1,2,4,5-Tetrakis(1-N-7-azaindolyl)benzene)

The dinuclear Pt(II) complex Pt 2 (CH 3 ) 4 (ttab) ( 1; ttab = 1,2,4,5-tetrakis(1- N -7-azaindolyl)benzene) has been found to activate multiple benzene molecules by cleaving a C−H bond in the presence of [H(Et 2 O) 2 ][BAr‘ 4 ] (Ar‘ = 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl). The unprecedented dinuclear Pt(II) product [Pt 2 (CH 3 )(SMe 2 )Ph 2 (ttab)][BAr‘ 4 ] ( 2 ), which contains two phenyl groups on one Pt(II) center, has been isolated from the 1:1 reaction of 1 with [H(Et 2 O) 2 ][BAr‘ 4 ]. The novel dinuclear Pt(II) complex [Pt 2 (H 2 O) 2 Ph 2 (ttab)][BAr‘ 4 ] 2 ( 3 ) has been isolated from the 1:2 reaction of 1 with [H(Et 2 O) 2 ][BAr‘ 4 ] when reagent-grade solvents were used in the recrystallization process. The structures of 2 and 3 have been established by X-ray diffraction analyses.