The metal-mediated iminoacylation reaction of ketoximes or aldoximes upon treatment with the organonitrile platinum(IV) complexes trans-[PtCl(4)(RCN)(2)] proceeds under relatively mild conditions in acetonitrile (R = Me) or in chloroform (R = CH(2)Ph, Ph) to give trans-[PtCl(4)(NH=C(R)ON=CR(1)R(2))(2)] (R(1) = R(2) = Me; R(1)R(2) = C(4)H(8), R(1)R(2) = C(5)H(10), R(1)R(2) = (H)Ph, R(1)R(2) = (H)C(6)H(4)(OH)-o; 1-14) in 90-95% yield. All these compounds were characterized by elemental analyses (C, H, N, Cl, Pt), FAB mass spectrometry, and IR and (1)H, (13)C{(1)H}, and (195)Pt NMR spectroscopies. X-ray structure determinations of [PtCl(4)(NH=C(Me)ON=CMe(2))(2)] (1) and [PtCl(4){NH=C(Me)ON=C(C(5)H(10))}(2)] (3) disclosed their overall trans-configuration and the amidine one-end rather than N,N-bidentate coordination mode of the N-donor ligands. The iminoacyl species are in E-conformation which is held by a rather weak N-H.N hydrogen bond between the amidine =NH atom and the oxime nitrogen with the following observed distances and angles for 1 and [3]: N(1).N(2), and N(1)-H, N(1)H.N(2) are 2.605 [2.592], 0.74 [0.71], and 2.20 [2.25] Å; N(1)-H.N(2) is 115 degrees [111 degrees ]. No evidence of the Z-conformation in solution was obtained by NMR spectroscopy. Compounds trans-[PtCl(4)(NH=C(R)ON=CR(1)R(2))(2)] are unexpectedly stable toward hydrolysis both in the solid state and in solutions.

Addition of excess R(2)NCN to an aqueous solution of K(2)[PtCl(4)] led to the precipitation of [PtCl(2)(NCNR(2))(2)] (R(2) = Me(2) 1; Et(2) 2; C(5)H(10) 3; C(4)H(8)O, 4) in a cis/trans isomeric ratio which depends on temperature. Pure isomers cis-1-3 and trans-1-3 were separated by column chromatography on SiO(2), while trans-4 was obtained by recrystallization. Complexes cis-1-3 isomerize to trans-1-3 on heating in the solid phase at 110 degrees C; trans-1 has been characterized by X-ray crystallography. Chlorination of the platinum(II) complexes cis-1-3 and trans-1-4 gives the appropriate platinum(IV) complexes [PtCl(4)(NCNR(2))(2)] (cis-5-7 and trans-5-8). The compound cis-6 was also obtained by treatment of [PtCl(4)(NCMe)(2)] with neat Et(2)NCN. The platinum(IV) complex trans-[PtCl(4)(NCNMe(2))(2)] (trans-5) in a mixture of undried Et(2)O and CH(2)Cl(2) undergoes facile hydrolysis to give trans-[PtCl(4)[(H)=C(NMe(2))OH](2)] (9; X-ray structure has been determined). The hydrolysis went to another direction with the cis-[PtCl(4)(NCNR(2))(2)] (cis-5-7) which were converted to the metallacycles [PtCl(4)[NH=C(NR(2))OC(NR(2))=NH]] (11-13) due to the unprecedented hydrolytic coupling of the two adjacent dialkylcyanamide ligands giving a novel (for both coordination and organic chemistry) diimino linkage. Compounds 11-13 and also 14 (R(2) = C(4)H(8)O) were alternatively obtained by the reaction between cis-[PtCl(4)(MeCN)(2)] and neat undried NCNR(2). The structures of complexes 11, 13, and 14 were determined by X-ray single-crystal diffraction. All the platinum compounds were additionally characterized by elemental analyses, FAB mass-spectrometry, and IR and (1)H and (13)C[(1)H] NMR spectroscopies.

The reaction of vic-dioximes with the organonitrile platinum(IV) complexes trans-[PtCl4(RCN)2] (R = Me, CH2Ph, Ph, vic-dioxime = dimethylglyoxime; R = Me, vic-dioxime = cyclohexa-, cyclohepta-, and cyclooctanedione dioximes) proceeds rapidly under relatively mild conditions and affords products of one-end addition of the dioximes to the nitrile carbon, i.e. [PtC4(NH=C(R)ON=[spacer]=NOH)2] (1-6) (R = Me, CH2Ph, Ph, spacer = C(Me)C-(Me) for dimethylglyoxime; R = Me, spacer = C[C4H8]C, C[C5H10]C, C[C6H12]C for the other dioximes), giving a novel type of metallaligand. All addition compounds were characterized by elemental analyses (C, H, N, C1, Pt), FAB mass spectrometry, and IR and 1H, 13C[1H], and 195Pt NMR spectroscopy. X-ray structure determination of the dimethylformamide bis-solvate [PtCl4(NH=C(Me)ON=C(Me)C(Me)=NOH)2] x 2DMF (la) disclosed its overall trans geometry with the dimethylglyoxime part in anti configuration and the amidine one-end (rather than N,N-bidentate) coordination mode of the N-donor ligands. When a mixture of cis- and trans-[PtC4(MeCN)2] in MeCN was treated with dimethylglyoxime, the formation of, correspondingly, cis- and trans-[PtCl4(NH=C(Me)ON=C(Me)C(Me)=NOH)2] (1) was observed and cis-to-trans isomerization in DMSO-d6 solution was monitored by 1H, 2D [1H,15N] HMQC, and 195Pt NMR spectroscopies. Although performed ab initio calculations give evidence that the trans geometry is the favorable one for the iminoacylated species [PtCl4-(ligand)2], the platinum(IV) complex [PtCl4(NH=C(Me)ON=C[C4Hs]C=NOH)2] (4) was isolated exclusively in cis configuration with the two metallaligand "arms" held together by intramolecular hydrogen bonding between the two peripheral OH groups, as it was proved by single-crystal X-ray diffractometry. The classic substitution products, e.g. [PtC12(N,N-dioximato)2] (12-15), are formed in the addition reaction as only byproducts in minor yield; two of them, [PtCl2(C7H11N2O2)2] (14) and [PtCl2(C8H13N2O2)2] (15), were structurally characterized. Complexes (12-15) were also prepared by reaction of the vic-dioximes with [PtCl4L(Me2SO)] (L = Me2SO, MeCN), but monoximes (Me2C=NOH, [C4H8]C=NOH, [C5H10]C=NOH, PhC(H)=NOH, (OH)C6H4C(H)= NOH) react differently adding to [PtCl4(MeCN)(Me2SO)] to give the corresponding iminoacylated products [PtCl4(NH=C(Me)ON=CRR')(Me2SO)](7-11).