Reaction of [Pt-2(dppp)(2)(H)(3)][BF4] with styrene or phenylacetylene gives the same mu-hydrido mu-alkylidene derivative, [Pt-2(dppp)(2)(mu-H)(mu-CHCH2Ph)][BF4]

The reaction of the binuclear platinum hydride [Pt-2(dppp)(2)(H)(3)][BF4] with styrene or phenylacetylene gives the same mu-hydrido mu-alkylidene diplatinum complex, [Pt-2(dppp)(2)(mu-H)(mu-CHCH2Ph)][BF4], under the same mild experimental conditions. Experiments with deuterium-labeled reagents show that the hydrogenation of phenylacetylene does not occur through the transfer of the acetylenic proton and suggest that the hydrogenation to styrene as an intermediate step is not implied. The C-13 NMR spectra of the reaction product of an equimolecular mixture of [Pt-2(dPPP)(2)(H)(3)][BF4] and [Pt-2(dppp)(2)(D)(3)][BF4] with phenylacetylene suggest that fragmentation of the dimeric Pt2H3+ core does not occur. Possible phenylacetylene hydrogenation pathways are discussed.