The complexes Pt II (P−P)(CN) 2 with P−P = 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphanyl)benzene (dppb) and 2,2Ј-bis(diphenylphosphanyl)-1,1Ј-binaphthyl (binap) were synthesised and characterised by elemental analysis, ESI MS and electronic spectroscopy. The structure of Pt(dppb)(CN) 2 was resolved by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. This compound consists of mononuclear Pt II complexes with an almost planar PtP 2 C 2 coordination. While both complexes are not luminescent in solution, they show an emission in the solid state under ambient conditions. It is suggested that the luminescence of Pt(dppb)(CN) 2 originates from a (Pt II Ǟdppb) metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) triplet with some dppb intraligand (IL) contribution. This assignment is confirmed by calcula-