Organoplatinum(II) complexes containing chelating or bridging bis(N-heterocyclic carbene) ligands: formation of a platinum(II) carbonate complex by aerial CO2 fixation.

The preparation of two new bis(N-heterocyclic carbene) platinum(II) complexes, in which NHC rings are joined by a CH(2) linker group, is described. While, the chelate complex [PtMe(2)(bis-NHC1)], 1, was formed with large tert-butyl wingtips, the iso-propyl N-substituent analogue favors formation of the cluster complex [Pt(2)Me(4)(µ-SMe(2))(µ-bis-NHC2)](2)(µ-Ag(2)Br(2)), 2, in which two binuclear platinum(II) complexes are linked together by an Ag(2)Br(2) unit. The chelating platinum complex 1 undergoes aerial CO(2) fixation and forms platinum(II) carbonate complex [Pt(CO(3))(bis-NHC1)], 3.