Dinuclear sulfide–thiolate complexes [Pt2(μ-S)(μ-SR)(PPh3)4]+ as cationic metalloligands

The cationic monoalkylated derivatives of the well-known metalloligand [Pt2(μ-S)2(PPh3)4], viz. [Pt2(μ-S)(μ-SR)(PPh3)4]+ (R = n-Bu, CH2Ph) are themselves able to act as metalloligands towards the Ph3PAu+ and R′Hg+ (R′ = Ph or ferrocenyl) fragments, by reaction with Ph3PAuCl or R′HgCl, respectively. The resulting dicationic products [Pt2(μ-SR)(μ-SAuPPh3)(PPh3)4]2+ and [Pt2(μ-SR)(μ-SHgR′)(PPh3)4]2+ are readily isolated as their hexafluorophosphate salts, and have been fully characterised by spectroscopic techniques and an X-ray structure determination on [Pt2(μ-SR)(μ-SHgFc)(PPh3)4](PF6)2.