Five-coordination in platinum(II) species: when and why

Abstract

The ground state geometry of the platinum(II) complexes [Pt(N–N)(L)X2](N–N = bidentate N-donor ligand; L, X = monodentate ligands) becomes five-coordinate trigonal-bipyramidal whenever a strong π-accepting ligand (L) is present in the coordination sphere, in absence of it even a rigid phenanthroline acts as monodentate ligand and the complex is four-coordinate.