An extremely bent cyanide bridge in crystals of [(CN)3Pt(mu-CN)Cu(NH3)4]. Influence of electrostatic forces on the nature and geometry of bridging cyanides in the solid state

The dinuclear heterometallic complex (CN)3Pt(mu-CN)Cu(NH3)4] has been obtained in the solid state, and its structure has been determined by X-ray diffraction techniques at two temperatures (102 and 233 K). C4H12CuN8Pt crystallizes in the orthorhombic system, with a = 14.554(3) A, b = 7.1901(12) A, c = 10.369(2) A, and V = 1085.1(3) A3 at 102 K (a = 14.5091(10) A, b = 7.2739(4) A, c = 10.4570(7) A, and V = 1103.61(12) A3 at 233 K), in space group Pnma, with Z = 4. The Pt and Cu atoms are linked by a CN bridge that presents a very bent C identical to N-Cu angle (120.1(6) degrees at 102 K). The C identical to N and N-Cu distances at 102 K are 1.147(10) and 2.394(7) A, respectively. (CN)3Pt(mu-CN)Cu(NH3)4] is embedded in an extensive electrostatic net formed by (N)H...N(C) interactions which, it is concluded, play an important role in the extreme deviation from linearity observed for the C identical to N-Cu angle.