Homogeneous catalysis by platinum(II)–tin(II) chloride complex. Part 4.—Effective species for hydrogenation of ethylene catalysed by [(CH3)4N]3[Pt(SnCl3)5] in acetone

Abstract

Catalysis by a platinum–tin complex, [(CH₃)₄N]₃[Pt(SnCl₃)₅], in acetone solution has been studied for the hydrogenation of ethylene within the temperature range 0 to 15°C and at low pressures up to 100 Torr. An induction period on hydrogenation was scarcely observed and good reproducibility was shown in a repeated use of the complex as catalyst. Solvent acetone was not hydrogenated under the conditions of reaction. The dependence of the initial rate of ethane formation on catalyst concentration exhibited two maxima in the range 1.0 × 10^–4 to 5.0 × 10^–3 mol dm^–3. Kinetic and spectroscopic studies revealed that cluster complexes of various size are dispersed in the solution and showed, with the help of distribution statistics, that the complexes containing one and six Pt-atoms are responsible for the respective rate maxima.