PHOTOINDUCED NET [2 + 2 + 2] CYCLOREVERSION OF PLATINUM(II) GLYCOLATE COMPLEXES - A NEW APPROACH TO THE GENERATION OF REDUCED, COORDINATIVELY UNSATURATED METAL SPECIES AND THE ACTIVATION OF CARBOHYDRATE CARBON-CARBON SINGLE BONDS

Photolysis of thermally stable (1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane)platinum(II) glycolate complexes causes a facile net [2 + 2 + 2] cycloreversion of the 2,5-dioxaplatinacyclopentane moiety to give two organic carbonyl compounds and a reactive (dppe)Pt0 intermediate, as shown by trapping with dppe, ethylene, or hydrogen. Photolysis under hydrogen in the presence of (PPh3)4RuH2 leads to hydrocracking of the glycol carbon-carbon single bond.