Reaction between the diaqua form of cisplatin and 2-methylsulfanylphenylphosphonic acid yields a dinuclear phosphonato-bridged complex via NH3 elimination

Reaction between cis-[Pt(NH3)2(H2O)2]2+ and (2-methylsulfanyl)phenyl phosphonic acid (H2mspp) did not yield the expected cis-diammine [(2-methylsulfanylphenyl)phosphonato]platinum(II) but the dimeric compound [{Pt(mspp)(NH3)}2]·6H2O in which the dianionic mspp2− ligand acts both as chelator and bridging ligand. Thus, the high trans-effect of the sulfanyl group apparently leads to elimination of one NH3 ligand. An X-ray crystal structure analysis of the dimeric complex is reported.