Reduced and excited states of (bpym)[PtCl(2)](n)() (bpym = 2,2'-bipyrimidine; n = 1, 2): experiments and DFT calculations.

The complexes (bpym)PtCl(2) (1) and the new (micro-bpym)[PtCl(2)](2) (2), bpym = 2,2'-bipyrimidine, were synthesized and, in the case of 1, crystallized in solvent-free form for X-ray diffraction. The molecules 1 exhibit two different kinds of stacking motifs in the crystal with an interstack CH--N interaction. Complexes 1 and 2 were found to be sufficiently soluble for cyclic voltammetry, spectroscopy (absorption and emission), and spectroelectrochemical studies (UV-vis, EPR). As a result of single or double coordination of the strongly sigma-accepting [PtCl(2)] fragment to bpym, the paramagnetic anions 1(*)(-)() and 2(*)(-)() and the dianions 1(2-) and 2(2-) could be reversibly generated, despite the presence of metal-halide bonds. DFT calculations of A((195)Pt) and g tensor components confirm that the singly occupied MOs of the monoanionic species have mainly pi(bpym) character with nonnegligible platinum d orbital participation. The assignments of the electronic absorption and emission and resonance Raman spectra for both complexes are supported by DFT calculations.