Reductive dearomatization of a substituted benzene triggered by a strong oxidant

Two new dinuclear platinum complexes Pt(2)Ph(4)L(Et) (1a) and Pt(2)Ph(4)L(F) (1b) (where L(Et) is 1,2,4,5-tetrakis(6-ethylquinolin-8-yl)benzene and L(F) is 1,2,4,5-tetrakis(6-trifluoromethoxylquinolin-8-yl)benzene) were synthesized and characterized. Triggered by an oxidant NCS, 1a and 1b displayed interesting reactivity of reductive dearomatization of the central phenyl rings of L(Et) and L(F) ligands respectively. The preliminary radical scavenger test gave some mechanistic insights.