Electrophilic activation of alkynes promoted by a cationic alkylidene complex of Pt(ii)

Pt(ii) alkylidene 1a has been reacted with terminal alkynes to afford ylide complexes 3a-d, resulting from electrophilic activation of the C= C bond and its insertion into the platinacyclic fragment of 1a that contains the carbene functionality. DFT calculations indicate that the observed regioselectivity is determined by the nucleophilic attack of the alkyne to the alkylidene carbon.