Oxidative addition of (PhSe)2 and (FcSe)2 to zerovalent palladium and platinum trialkylphosphine complexes (Fc = ferrocenyl, [Fe(η5-C5H5)(η5-C5H4)])

Room temperature reaction of [Pd2(dba)3]/PR3 or [Pt(C2H4)(PR3)2] (dba = dibenzylideneacetone; R = Et, Bu) with the diselenides (R′Se)2 (R′ = Ph, Fc) yielded the oxidative addition products trans-[M(SeR′)2(PR3)2] (M = Pd, Pt). These have been characterised by multinuclear NMR and UV–Vis spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and, in the cases of trans-[Pt(SePh)2(PR3)2] (R = Et, Bu) and trans-[Pt(SeFc)2(PBu3)2], also by X-ray crystallography.