Potassium tetrachloroplatinate

Potassium tetrachloroplatinate is the chemical compound with the formula K2PtCl4. This reddish pink-colored salt is an important reagent for the preparation of other coordination complexes of platinum. It consists of potassium cations and the square planar dianion PtCl42-.

K2PtCl4 is prepared by reduction of K2PtCl6 with hydrazine. K2PtCl6 is one of the salts that is most easily obtained from platinum ores. The complex is appreciably soluble only in water. Treatment with alcohols, especially in the presence of base, causes reduction to platinum metal. Conversion to organic salts, such as [ PPN ] 2PtCl4 are soluble in chlorocarbons.

The chloride ligands on PtCl42- are displaced by many other ligands to afford derivatives:
 * K2PtCl4 +  2 PPh3   →  cis-PtCl2(PPh3)2  +  2 KCl

The anti-cancer drug Cisplatin can simlarly be prepared:
 * K2PtCl4 +  2 NH3  →   cis-PtCl2(NH3)2  +  2 KCl