Exploring unsymmetrical diboranes(4) as boryl ligand precursors: platinum(ii) bis-boryl complexes.

A series of five unsymmetrical platinum(ii) bis-boryl complexes, bearing two distinct boryl ligands, are obtained by the oxidative addition reaction of unsymmetrical diborane(4) derivatives, bearing either two different dialkoxy or one dialkoxy and one diamino boryl moiety, with [(PhP)Pt(CH)]. All five complexes were structurally and spectroscopically characterised. The bis-boryl platinum(ii) complexes exhibit slightly distorted square-planar -boryl structures with acute B-Pt-B angles, short B⋯B distances of 2.