Gamma-ray and conversion electron spectra were measured in the reaction of 25 MeV deuterons on 174yb, 196'19apt, 2~176 and 132Th. The (d, pxn) deuteron break-up reactions were studied by the measurement of py-and 77-coincidences. Levels with spins up to approximately 10h are observed in the (d, pn) reactions, with a strong preference of the population of yrast states. In the Pt and Hg nuclei the ground bands are seen up to the 6 + states and in 196,198pt the semi-decoupled 5-, 7-, and 9-yrast levels are populated most strongly. In 2~176 we observe fairly strongly new levels with tentative assignments of 5-and 7-. In addition a number of previously unknown levels are identified in the Pt and Hg nuclei, for which no spin-parity assignments could be obtained. A discussion of the level structure in terms of the interacting boson model (196,198pt) and the shell model (/~176 is given.