The platinum catalyst [bpyrPtCl2] in superacidic solution

The methane oxidation catalyst [bpyrPtCl(2)] (bpyr = bis-pyrimidine) dissolves in superacidic HF/SbF5 Solution under formation of a dinuclear cation [H(2)bpyrPt(mu-Cl)(2)PtbpyrH(2)](6+). Two crystal forms are isolated, [Pt(2)Cl(2)bpyr(2)H(4)](6+)(SbF6-)(4-)(Sb2F11- )2(.)2HF (1) (triclinic, P $(1) over bar $, a = 814.8(2) pm, b = 1444.8(3) pm, c = 2300.5(5) pm, alpha = 89.627(4)degrees, beta = 84.285(4)degrees, gamma = 84.665(4)degrees, Z = 2) and [Pt(2)Cl(2)bpyrH(4)](6+)(Sb2F11-)(6)(.)4HF (II) (triclinic, P $(1) over bar $, a = 879.4(2) pm, b = 1170.4(3) pm, c = 1789.9(5) pm, alpha = 95.37(2)degrees, beta = 99.97(2)degrees, gamma = 100.41(2)degrees, Z = 1). The cation in I has an angle of 148.4(1)degrees between the two square plane platinum environments, while the cation in II is fully planar. The non-platinum-bound nitrogen atoms are all protonated in the superacidic medium.