Dinuclear organoplatinum(II)-methyldiphenylphosphine complexes of nicotinic acid

The preparation and characterisation of a series of novel, dinuclear organoplatinum(II) complexes of methyldiphenylphosphine, trans-[Pt(PMePh2)2(C5H4N(CO2H))-μ-aryl-Pt(PMePh2)2(C5H4N(CO2H))](OTf)2 (aryl=phenyl, 4,4′-biphenyl, 4,4′′-p-terphenyl, or 4,4′-benzophenone; OTf=triflate), in which nicotinic acid acts a nitrogen-donor ligand are described. The key structural feature of each complex is the presence of a carboxylic acid group at each end of the molecule. This allows for their association via intermolecular hydrogen-bonds in low polarity solvents. The complexes are potentially useful tectons (building blocks) for the construction of metal-containing supramolecular assemblies.