The bis(triphenylphosphine)platinum complexes of tropyne
(1), cyclohepta-3,5-dien-1-yne
(12), and cyclohepta-1,5-dien-3-yne (13) react
rapidly with (η6-p-xylene)Mo(CO)3
in a mixture
of CD2Cl2 and
THF-d
8 to give the bimetallic complexes
4−6. Reduction of 4 with
LiAl(O-t-Bu)3H or KBEt3H gives a mixture of
5−7 (essentially quantitative) in a ratio of
5:10:85
and 8:21:71, respectively. The major isomer contains a
1,2,3,5-cycloheptatetraene ring, a
ring system that has previously been inaccessible either free or
complexed to a transition
metal. Hydride abstraction from 5, 6, or
7 regenerates 4. X-ray crystal structures
for 5
and 7 are reported. The absolute configuration of
complex 7 in the crystal was determined.