Phosphonato complexes of platinum(II): Kinetics of formation and phosphorus-31 NMR characterization studies

Reactions of cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) with phosphonoformic acid (PFA), phosphonoacetic acid (PAA), and methylenediphosphonic acid (MDP) yield various phosphonatoplatinum(II) chelates which were characterized by phosphorus-31 NMR spectroscopy. The P-31 resonances for the chelates appear at 6–12 ppm downfield as compared to the uncomplexed ligands. All complexes exhibit monoprotic acidic behavior in the pH range 2–10. The chemical shift-pH profiles yielded acidity constants, 1.0 × 10^?4, 1.5 × 10^?4, and 1.3 × 10^?6 M^?1, for the PFA, PAA, and MDP chelates. In addition to the monomeric chelate, MDP formed a bridged diplatinum(II,II) complex when it reacted with cis-Pt (NH₃)₂(H₂O)₂²⁺. The P-31 resonance for this binuclear complex appears at 22 ppm downfield from the unreacted ligand.

Rate data for the complexation reactions of the phosphonate ligands with the dichloroplatinum complex are consistent with a mechanism in which a monodentate complex is formed initially through rate-limiting aquation process of the platinum complex, followed by a rapid chelation. For the PFA and PAA complexes, initial binding sites are the carboxylato oxygens. Implications of the various binding modes of the phosphonates in relationship to their antiviral activities are discussed.