Unprecedented Behavior of 2,2‘:6‘,2‘ ‘-Terpyridine: Dinuclear Platinum(II) Derivatives with a New N,C^∧C,N Bridging Ligand

We report the synthesis and characterization of some dinuclear organoplatinum(II) species where 2,2‘:6‘,2‘ ‘-terpyridine (terpy) behaves as a 2-fold-deprotonated N,C∧C,N ligand bridging two [Pt(CH3)(L)] units (L = neutral ligand). Each platinum atom is further bonded to a nitrogen of a terminal pyridine and to a 3‘ or 5‘ carbon atom of the inner pyridine ring. As far as we know, these are the first examples of cyclometalated terpy as well as of a 3,5-dimetalated pyridine ring. The X-ray structure of one of these species (L = CO) shows it to be an organoplatinum polymer.