Synthesis and structural characterization of a new dinuclear platinum(III) complex, [Pt₂Cl₄(NH₃)₂{μ-HN=C(O)Bu^t}₂]

Cisplatin plays an important role in treating many tumors. However, its pharmacological potential is limited by several side effects (nephrotoxicity, neurotoxicity, hair loss) and the resistance of many cancer types. In the effort of overcome resistance to cisplatin, more than 3000 platinum complexes have been synthesized in the past 45 years, but only about 30 have demonstrated adequate pharmacological platinum(III) complexes have been synthesized and their structure determined, because some of these exhibit antitumor and catalytic activity for the oxidation of olefins. Herein the synthesis of a new dinuclear platinum(III) complex with two butyl(amidato) bridging ligands, namely [Pt 2 Cl 4 (NH 3 ) 2 {μ-HN=C(O)Bu t } 2 ], is reported. The complex was characterized by means of nuclear magnetic resonance ( 1 H and 195 Pt NMR) and infrared spectroscopy, and the crystal structure determined using X-ray single-crystal diffraction. This complex, to the best of our knowledge, is the first dinuclear complex of Pt III with two butyl(amidato) bridging ligands with a head-to-tail configuration.