As a rapidly growing field across all areas of chemistry, C-H activation/functionalisation is being used to access a wide range of important molecular targets. Of particular interest is the development of a sustainable methodology for alkane functionalisation as a means for reducing hydrocarbon emissions. This Perspective aims to give an outline to the community with respect to commonly used terminology in C-H activation, as well as the mechanisms that are currently understood to operate for (cyclo)alkane activation/functionalisation.
We
report a well-defined example of intermolecular aryl halide
oxidative addition (OA) to Pt(II). Complexes of the type (IMes)PtMe2(L) and (IMes′)PtMe(L) (L = SMe2, pyridine;
IMes = N,N-bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene;
IMes′ = cyclometalated IMes) undergo intermolecular OA of phenyl
iodide (PhI) at 60 °C, producing toluene via reductive elimination
from a proposed Pt(IV) phenyl species. Isolation of a model Pt(IV)
OA product provides evidence for a Pt(II)/Pt(IV) pathway. The OA of
PhI is not limited to Pt(II) IMes complexes; analogous reactions also
proceed with phosphine-ligated Pt(II) dialkyl complexes, demonstrating
that this reaction is feasible for a variety of electron-rich Pt(II)
complexes bearing labile ligands.
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