Thermolysis of [Pt(PPh 3 ) 2 (C 2 H 4 )], [Pt(PPh 3 ) 3 ] or of various complexes of the type [Pt(PPh 3 ) 2 (alkyne)] in toluene gave the dinuclear platinum() complex [(Ph 3 P)Pt{µ-C 6 H 4 (PPh 2 )-2}(µ-PPh 2 )Pt(PPh 3 )] in ca. 60% yield as a consequence of both C᎐H and P᎐Ph cleavage of co-ordinated triphenylphosphine. The complex, which has been identified by mass spectrometry, NMR ( 31 P, 195 Pt) spectroscopy and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, is probably identical with some of the compounds formulated in the literature either asThe other product of the reaction is the known trinuclear compound [Pt 3 (µ-PPh 2 ) 3 (Ph)(PPh 3 ) 2 ].