A unique functional group transformation of planar chiral diolefinic organonitrogen cycles utilizing PtCl₂(2,4,6-trimethylpyridine) Complexes

The planar chiral diolefinic organonitrogen cycles 1 underwent stereospecific and group-selective olefin exchange with 3 to give 4, whose molecular structure was characterized on the basis of NMR and X-ray diffraction. The bonded (E)-olefin moieties in 4 were robust enough to allow untouched (Z)-olefin to undergo epoxidation and hydrogenation to give the corresponding PtCl₂(n²-olefin) complexes, whose treatment with PPh ₃ smoothly liberated their olefinic parts, which would be otherwise difficult to synthesize.