Preparation of an unusual fluoroalkyl phosphinoyl chelate complex, {k3-P,C,P,k1-O-(CF3)2PCH2C6H3CH2P(CF3)O}2Pt2

Electron poor cationic complexes [(CF3PCPCF3PCP)Pt(L)]+ (where L = CO, NC5F5, or acetone) react with H2O in polar solvents via selective hydrolysis of a single P–CF3 substituent to afford the spectroscopically-characterized phosphinoyl-bridged complex {k 3-P,C,P,k 1-O -(CF3)2PCH2C6H3CH2P(CF3)O}2Pt2 (1) in good yield. X-ray diffraction confirms the presence of a six-member Pt–P–O–Pt–P–O ring in a chair conformation. The presumed intermediate aqua complex, (CF3PCPCF3PCP)Pt(H2O)+, is stable in dichloromethane, but when dissolved in more polar solvents readily converts to 1.