Using ligand exchange reactions to control the coordination environment of Pt(II) acetylide complexes: applications to conjugated metallacyclynes

Ligand exchange of cis-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethylene (dppee) with trans-(Ph3P)2Pt(CCR)2 easily generates the cis-complexes (dppee)Pt(CCR)2 in 64–95% yield. This transformation is used to convert pyridine-containing macrocycle 7 to its cis-analogue 8 and the macrocyclic bipyridine analogue 10 to the unique macrocyclic ligand 11. X-ray structural characterization of trans-complexes 5a and 5b and cis-complexes 6a and 6b are reported, as is the structure of the strained macrocycle 8.