Synthesis, characterisation and photochemistry of Pt(IV) pyridyl azido acetato complexes.

Pt(II) azido complexes [Pt(bpy)(N(3))(2)] (1), [Pt(phen)(N(3))(2)] (2) and trans-[Pt(N(3))(2)(py)(2)] (3) incorporating the bidentate diimine ligands 2,2'-bipyridine (bpy), 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) or the monodentate pyridine (py) respectively, have been synthesised from their chlorido precursors and characterised by X-ray crystallography; complex 3 shows significant deviation from square-planar geometry (N(3)-Pt-N(3) angle 146.7 degrees ) as a result of steric congestion at the Pt centre. The novel Pt(IV) complexes trans, cis-[Pt(bpy)(OAc)(2)(N(3))(2)] (), trans, cis-[Pt(phen)(OAc)(2)(N(3))(2)] (), trans, trans, trans-[Pt(OAc)(2)(N(3))(2)(py)(2)] (), were obtained from via oxidation with H(2)O(2) in acetic acid followed by reaction of the intermediate with acetic anhydride. Complexes 4-6 exhibit interesting structural and photochemical properties that were studied by X-ray, NMR and UV-vis spectroscopy and TD-DFT (time-dependent density functional theory). These Pt(IV) complexes exhibit greater absorption at longer wavelengths (epsilon = 9756 M(-1) cm(-1) at 315 nm for 4 ; epsilon = 796 M(-1) cm(-1) at 352 nm for 5 ; epsilon = 16900 M(-1) cm(-1) at 307 nm for 6 , in aqueous solution) than previously reported Pt(IV) azide complexes, due to the presence of aromatic amines, and 4-6 undergo photoactivation with both UVA (365 nm) and visible green light (514 nm). The UV-vis spectra of complexes 4-6 were calculated using TD-DFT; the nature of the transitions contributing to the UV-vis bands provide insight into the mechanism of production of the observed photoproducts. The UV-vis spectra of 1-3 were also simulated by computational methods and comparison between Pt(II) and Pt(IV) electronic and structural properties allowed further elucidation of the photochemistry of 4-6.