Sterically Demanding 8-(Diphenylphosphino)quinoline Complexes of Group 10 Metal(II): Synthesis, Crystal Structures, and Properties in Solution

Several series of platinum(II), palladium(II), and nickel(II) complexes bearing 8-(diphenylphosphino)quinoline (PQH) or its 2-methyl or 2-phenyl derivatives (PQMe or PQPh) were synthesized, and their crystal structures and behaviors in solution were investigated. Most of the complexes [M(PQR)2]X2 (MII = PtII, PdII, or NiII R = H, Me or Ph; X = monoanionic ions) characterized in this study have an approximately square-planar coordination geometry with two bidentate P,N-chelating or monodentate P-donating quinolylphosphine ligands in the cis(P,P) configuration. A large steric requirement from the Me or Ph substituent introduced at the 2-position of the quinoline ring gives the resulting complexes severe distortion. The PtII and PdII complex cations maintained the square-planar coordination geometry, but the MII center was displaced from the chelating ligand plane. This bending of the chelate coordination makes the M-N(quinoline) bond weaker, as demonstrated by the longer M-N bonds. In accord with the bond weakening, the partial dissociation of the PQH or PQMe chelates by substitution with halide anions were observed using UV-vis spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. In contrast, the PQPh complexes were stable in solution toward the addition of halide anions; the intramolecular Ï-πstacking interaction between the coordinating quinolyl and the 2-substituted phenyl rings protects the MII center from nucleophilic attack. In the corresponding NiII complexes, the steric congestion arising from the mutually cis-positioned PQR ligands resulted in a large tetrahedral distortion around the NiII center. However, the intramolecular Ï-πstacking interaction was still effective in the PQPh complex, and this interaction can explain some unusual robustness and electrochemical properties of the NiII-PQPh complex.