Transition metal complexes with wide-angle dithio-, diseleno- and ditelluroethers: properties and structural systematics

The ligands o-C(6)H(4)(CH(2)EMe)(2) (E = S or Se) have been prepared and characterised spectroscopically. A systematic study of the coordination chemistry of these, together with the telluroether analogue, o-C(6)H(4)(CH(2)TeMe)(2), with late transition metal centers has been undertaken. The planar complexes [MCl(2){o-C(6)H(4)(CH(2)SMe)(2)}] and [M{o-C(6)H(4)(CH(2)EMe)(2)}(2)](PF(6))(2) (M = Pd or Pt; E = S or Se), the distorted octahedral [RhCl(2){o-C(6)H(4)(CH(2)EMe)(2)}(2)]Y (E = S or Se: Y = PF(6); E = Te: Y = Cl) and [RuCl(2){o-C(6)H(4)(CH(2)EMe)(2)}(2)] (E = S, Se or Te), the dithioether-bridged binuclear [{RuCl(2)(p-cymene)}(2){micro-o-C(6)H(4)(CH(2)SMe)(2)}] and the tetrahedral [M'{o-C(6)H(4)(CH(2)EMe)(2)}(2)]BF(4) (M' = Cu or Ag; E = S, Se or Te) have been obtained and characterised by IR and multinuclear NMR spectroscopy ((1)H, (63)Cu, (77)Se{(1)H}, (125)Te{(1)H} and (195)Pt), electrospray MS and microanalyses. Crystal structures of the parent o-C(6)H(4)(CH(2)SMe)(2) and seven complexes are described, which show three different stereoisomeric forms for the chelated ligands, as well as the first example of a bridging coordination mode in [{RuCl(2)(p-cymene)}(2){micro-o-C(6)H(4)(CH(2)SMe)(2)}]. These studies reveal the consequences of the sterically demanding o-xylyl backbone, which typically leads to unusually obtuse E-M-E chelate angles of approximately 100 degrees .