STRUCTURES OF [PHCNSSN]2[PT(MNT)2] AND [(P-CLC6H4CNSSN)2CL][PT(MNT)2] (MNT = MALEONITRILEDITHIOLATO LIGAND)

4-Phenyl-1,2-dithia-3,5-diazolium bis(maleonitriledithi-olato)platinum(II), [PhCNSSM]2[Pt(mnt)2] (1), and bis-[4-(4-chlorophenyl)-1,2-dithia-3,5-diazolium] chloride-bis(maleonitriledithiolato)platinum(III), [(P-ClC6H4-CNSSN)2Cl][Pt(mnt)2] (2), contain essentially planar [Pt(mnt)2]n- anions [n = 2 for complex (1), n = 1 for complex (2)], with square-planar coordination of Pt. The Pt-S bonds are slightly, but significantly, shorter for the Pt(III) complex (2). The cations contain planar CNSSN five-membered rings with an aryl substituent Ar (Ph or P-ClC6H4) on C. In (1), the cations are discrete, but in (2), they are associated in pairs with a Cl- anion to give an approximately planar [(ArCNSSN)2Cl]+ cationic unit, with S ... Cl contacts in the range 2.845 (3)-2.970 (4) angstrom. In (1), the cations and anions are arranged all parallel in mixed cation-anion stacks, each anion being sandwiched between two cations. In (2), the cations and anions form sheets which are buckled into an unusual wave-like configuration.