(4,4'-Dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridyl-N,N')bis(isocyanato)platinum(II)

[Pt(NCO)2(C12H12N2)], Mr = 463.37, orthorhombic, Cmc2(1), a = 18.722 (6), b = 11.889 (5), c = 6.688 (5) A, V = 1488.7 (9) A3, Z = 4, Dx = 2.067 g cm-3, lambda(Mo K alpha) = 0.71069 A, mu = 90.59 cm-1, F(000) = 864, T = 291 (1) K, R = 0.052 for 735 reflections with F greater than or equal to 6 sigma F. The structure consists of square-planar coordinated Pt atoms, surrounded by four N atoms; of these, two belong to the bidentate bipyridyl ligand and two belong to the two pseudohalide groups which occupy cis positions. The bite angle of the bipyridyl ligand is 82.3 (9) degrees, significantly larger than the value reported earlier for the unsubstituted bipyridyl ligand, 76 (2) degrees. The metal atom is displaced 0.10 (5) A below the plane of the four N atoms. The non-bonding Pt-Pt distance is 0.258 (5) A longer in the title compound than in the unsubstituted ligand complex, leading to significant differences in the chemical and spectroscopic properties of the two homologues.