Homoleptic mono- and dinuclear complexes of platinum(II) with 1,8-naphthyridine

Two unprecedented, homoleptic Pt-1,8-naphthyridine complexes have been prepared and characterized. Reaction between 1,8-naphthyridine (napy) and a platinum(II) precursor leads to a mononuclear homoleptic platinum(II) complex with stoichiometry [Pt(napy)4](OTf)2. On the contrary, reaction between napy and a dinuclear platinum(III) precursor produces instead a rare example of a dinuclear, homoleptic, tetracationic platinum(II) complex with stoichiometry [Pt2(napy)4](OTf)4. Crystal structures of both complexes have been obtained. The redox behavior of the dinuclear complex has been studied by cyclic voltammetry, in order to establish its suitability as model precatalyst for organometallic reactions exploiting the Pt(II)/Pt(IV) or Pt(II)/Pt(III) manifold.