Pt II azido complexes [Pt(bpy) (N 3 ) 2 ] (1), [Pt(phen) (N 3 ) 2 ] (2) and trans-[Pt(N 3 ) 2 (py) 2 ] (3) incorporating the bidentate diimine ligands 2,2′-bipyridine (bpy), 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) or the monodentate pyridine (py) respectively, have been synthesised from their chlorido precursors and characterised by x-ray crystallography; complex 3 shows significant deviation from squareplanar geometry (N 3 -Pt-N 3 angle 146.7°) as a result of steric congestion at the Pt centre. The novel Pt IV complexes trans, cis-[Pt(bpy)(OAc) 2 (N 3 ) 2 ] (4), trans, cis-[Pt(phen)(OAc) 2 (N 3 ) 2 ] (5), trans, trans, trans-[Pt(OAc) 2 (N 3 ) 2 (py) 2 ] (6), were obtained from 1-3 via oxidation with H 2 O 2 in acetic acid followed by reaction of the intermediate with acetic anhydride. Complexes 4-6 exhibit interesting structural and photochemical properties that were studied by x-ray, NMR and UV-vis spectroscopy and TDDFT. These Pt IV complexes exhibit greater absorption at longer wavelengths (ε = 9756 M −1 cm −1 at 315 nm for 4; ε = 796 M −1 cm −1 at 352 nm for 5; ε = 16900 M −1 cm −1 at 307 nm for 6, in aqueous solution) than previously reported Pt IV azide complexes, due to the presence of aromatic amines, and 4-6 undergo photoactivation with both UVA (365 nm) and visible green light (514 nm). The UV-vis spectra of complexes 4-6 were calculated using TD-DFT; the nature of the transitions contributing to the UV-vis bands provide insight into the mechanism of production of the observed photoproducts. The UV-vis spectra of 1-3 were also simulated by computational methods and comparison between Pt II and Pt IV electronic and structural properties allowed further elucidation of the photochemistry of 4-6.