“…[16,17] ) anions have traditionally been used; [18,19] however, the development of [M(diimine) (CN ) complexes has also afforded an extensive database of building blocks with the potential to act as tri-and tetradentate metalloligands. [1,3,4,20,21] This paper describes the synthesis and characterisation of a series of new cyanidometallates, [PPh 4 ][MnN(CN) 3 (diimine)] {diimine = 2,2Ј-bipyridine [1(bpy)], 4,4Ј-dimethyl-2,2Ј-bipyridine [1(4-dmbpy)], 5,5Ј-dimethyl-2,2Ј-bipyridine [1(5-dmbpy)], 1,10-phenanthroline [1(phen)] and bipyrimidine [1(bpym)]}. This series allows for a fundamental study of the impact of ligand substitution on the properties of the metal centre and enables the rationalisation of the influence of the π-accepting nature of the diimine ligand on the electrochemical and spectral properties of the metal complex.…”