Cannot set optional value, prints nil

I am working on project that writes to google sheets. I am trying to Unmerge cells. This function works however it unmerges everything in the sheet. This is because it is not setting the .range value. When I print (as seen below) the "test" value all range values are shown accordingly however when I print the "request.unmergeCells?.range" it says nil. I am further confused as I use this exact code elsewhere for a merge command and it loads the values fine (see second snippet of code.)

I have tried for days to resolve this issue with no avail. Any thoughts?

func unmergecell1() {

            let request = GTLRSheets_Request.init()

            let test = GTLRSheets_GridRange.init()

            rowstart = 4
            rowend = 100
            columnstart = 0
            columnend = 100

            test.startRowIndex = rowstart
            test.endRowIndex = rowend
            test.startColumnIndex = columnstart
            test.endColumnIndex = columnend

            request.unmergeCells?.range = test

            request.unmergeCells = GTLRSheets_UnmergeCellsRequest.init()

            print("=========unmerge==============")
            print(test)
            print(request.unmergeCells?.range)

            let batchUpdate = GTLRSheets_BatchUpdateSpreadsheetRequest.init()

            batchUpdate.requests = [request]


            let createQuery = GTLRSheetsQuery_SpreadsheetsBatchUpdate.query(withObject: batchUpdate, spreadsheetId: spreadsheetId)


        service.executeQuery(createQuery) { (ticket, result, NSError) in

               }
              }

func mergecell() {

        let request = GTLRSheets_Request.init()

        request.mergeCells = GTLRSheets_MergeCellsRequest.init()

        let test = GTLRSheets_GridRange.init()

        test.startRowIndex = rowstart
        test.endRowIndex = rowend
        test.startColumnIndex = columnstart
        test.endColumnIndex = columnend
        request.mergeCells?.range = test

        request.mergeCells?.mergeType = kGTLRSheets_MergeCellsRequest_MergeType_MergeRows

        let batchUpdate = GTLRSheets_BatchUpdateSpreadsheetRequest.init()
        batchUpdate.requests = [request]

        let createQuery = GTLRSheetsQuery_SpreadsheetsBatchUpdate.query(withObject: batchUpdate, spreadsheetId: spreadsheetId)

        service.executeQuery(createQuery) { (ticket, result, NSError) in

        }
       }