The nature of diastereomeric discrimination in the series of platinum(II) complexes trans(N, olefin)-chloro(N-methyl-(S)-prolinato)(olefin)platinum (olefin=propene, trans-2-butene, tert-butylethylene, styrene, p-chlorostyrene, or p-methoxystyrene) has been investigated by using 1H, 13C, and 195Pt nuclear magnetic resonance. The observed trend of diastereomeric difference in the NMR properties (especially 1JptC for coordinated carbons and δpt) indicated that the abundant diastereomers had a stronger platinum-olefin bonding, and thus enhanced thermodynamic stability. Contrasting NMR features found for the styrene and tert-butylethylene diastereomers are interpreted in terms of a different mode of distortion of coordinated olefins upon complex formation. © 1979, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.