The first molecular paddlewheel platinum(III) acetate complex Pt2(μ-OOCMe)4(O3SMe)2

The reduction of K2[Pt(OH)6] with formic acid in acetic acid under mild conditions followed by reaction with methanesulfonic acid gave rise to the first molecular crystalline diplatinum(III) tetra-μ-acetate complex Pt2(μ-OOCMe)4(O3SMe)2 with a short Pt–Pt distance (2.4059(6) Å) and MeSO3− anions coordinated at the axial positions of the diplatinum paddlewheel moiety. DFT analysis with the exchange-correlation potential PBE1PBE in SDD basis revealed the electron configuration of the "metallic" moiety as σ2π4δ2δ*2π*4 with Pt–Pt σ-bonding.