Luminescent chloride and hexaflurophosphate salts of Pt(Me2bzimpy)Cl+ (Me2bzimpy = 2,6-bis(1-methylbenzimidazol-2-yl)pyridine) are reported. As solids, both compounds are vapochromic, undergoing pronounced and reversible changes of color and emission in the presence of volatile organic compounds. The chloride salt responds to vapors of methanol, chloroform, ethanol, and acetonitrile, undergoing a distinct change in color from yellow to red within seconds. The PF6- salt responded selectively to acetonitrile vapor, changing from yellow to violet while sorbing 1.0 +/- 0.1 equiv. For either salt, leaving vapor-exposed samples in air for several days or heating for several minutes restored the original color. UV-visible absorption spectra and solid-state room temperature and 77 K emission spectra are reported, and the accumulated data are consistent with a decrease in Pt...Pt separation accompanying vapor sorption.

Four platinum(II) cationic complexes were prepared with the mer-coordinating tridentate ligands 2,6-bis(N-pyrazolyl)pyridine (bpp) and 2,6-bis(3,5-dimethyl-N-pyrazolyl)pyridine (bdmpp): [Pt(bpp)Cl]Cl.H(2)O; [Pt(bdmpp)Cl]Cl.H(2)O; [Pt(bpp)(Ph)](PF(6)); [Pt(bdmpp)(Ph)](PF(6)). The complexes were characterized by (1)H NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and mass spectrometry, and the structures of the bpp derivatives were determined by X-ray crystallography. [Pt(bpp)Cl]Cl.2H(2)O: monoclinic, P2(1)/n, a = 11.3218(5) A, b = 6.7716(3) A, c = 20.6501(6) A, beta = 105.883(2) degrees, V = 1522.73(11) A(3), Z = 4. The square planar cations stack in a head-to-tail fashion to form a linear chain structure with alternating Pt...Pt distances of 3.39 and 3.41 A. [Pt(bpp)(Ph)](PF(6)).CH(3)CN: triclinic, P, a = 8.3620(3) A, b = 10.7185(4) A, c = 13.4273(5) A, alpha = 96.057(1) degrees, beta = 104.175(1) degrees, gamma = 110.046(1) degrees, V = 1072.16(7) A(3), Z = 2. Cyclic voltammograms indicate all four complexes undergo irreversible reductions between -1.0 and -1.3 V vs Ag/AgCl (0.1 M TBAPF(6)/CH(3)CN), attributable to ligand- and/or metal-centered processes. By comparison to related 2,2':6',2' '-terpyridine complexes, the electrochemical and UV-visible absorption data are consistent with bpp being both a weaker sigma-donor and pi-acceptor than terpyridine. Solid samples of [Pt(bpp)(Ph)](PF(6)) at 77 K exhibit a remarkably intense, narrow emission centered at 655 nm, whereas the other three complexes exhibit only very weak emission.