A wide range of examples has been synthesised and fully characterised by "P-{lH} and 195Pt-{1H} spectroscopy. The dinuclear complexes [Pt,(PR3),(p-C1),Cl2] (R = alkyl or aryl)' are synthetically important as they are susceptible to cleavage of the chloro bridge by nucleophiles such as CO,, i m i n e ~, ~ amines,, o l e f i n ~, ~sulfoxides and thioethers allowing the formation of a wide range of mononuclear platinum(I1) derivatives. The primary method of synthesis of [Pt2(PR3)2(p-C1),Cl2] has been to reflux a slurry of [Pt(PR,),Cl,] and PtCl, in a mixture of xylene and naphthalene the ratio of which is varied in order to obtain the optimum reaction temperature.' Alternative solvents which have been recommended include tetrachloroethane and, more recently, p-chlorotoluene. The disadvantage of these methods is the necessity to use PtCl, which can be expensive as a source of platinum compared to [PtCl4l2 -, solutions of which are readily obtainable from platinum metal or platinum residues. l o Thus, we sought an alternative method for the synthesis of [Pt,(PR3)2(p-CI)2C12] that would employ [PtC1,I2-