Dr. Mark MacLachlan presents the Dr. Michael Baird Lecture

Supramolecular Adventures with Platinum

The coordination chemistry of platinum has been extensively investigated, especially for cancer therapy and catalysis. Platinum readily reacts with phenylpyridine-based pro-ligands to form organometallic complexes of Pt(II) and Pt(IV).  We recently discovered that bis(phenylpyridine)platinum(III) complexes form new species whose optical properties are strongly affected by metal-metal interactions in solution and in the solid state. Furthermore, these molecules can undergo reversible intermetallic bonding, opening new opportunities in supramolecular chemistry. In this presentation, I will discuss our recent studies of these platinum-containing molecules for potential use in sensing, displays, and ion separation.