Reactions of platinum(II)–nitrile complexes with amines. Synthesis, characterization and X-ray structure of the platinum(II)–amidine complex trans-[PtCl2{Z-N(H)C(NHMe)Me}2]

The reaction of trans-[PtCl2(NCMe)2] with a 5-fold excess of MeNH2 in CH2Cl2 at −10°C affords in high yield the bis-amidine complex trans-[PtCl2{Z-N(H)C(NHMe)Me}2] (1), where both the amidine ligands assume the Z configuration corresponding to the trans addition of the amine along the CN triple bond. Compound 1 has been fully characterized by spectroscopic techniques and also by X-ray diffraction analysis.