Tetrakis(triphenylphosphine)platinum(0)
Tetrakisplatinum is the chemical compound with the formula Pt4, often abbreviated Pt4. The bright yellow compound is used as a precursor to other platinum complexes.The molecule is tetrahedral, with point group symmetry of Td, as expected for a four-coordinate metal complex of a metal with the d10 configuration. Even though this complex follows the 18 electron rule, it dissociates triphenylphosphine in solution to give the 16e− derivative containing only three PPh3 ligands:Synthesis and reactions
The complex is typically prepared in one-pot reaction from potassium tetrachloroplatinate. Reduction of this platinum species with alkaline ethanol in the presence of excess triphenylphosphine affords the product as a precipitate. The reaction occurs in two distinct steps. In the first step, PtCl22 is generated. In the second step, this platinum complex is reduced. The overall synthesis can be summarized as:
Pt4 reacts with oxidants to give platinum derivatives:
Mineral acids give the corresponding hydride complexes:
The reaction with oxygen affords a dioxygen complex:
This complex is a precursor to the ethylene complex
