Homo- and heterobimetallic complexes of the form [(PPh(3))(2)(mu(2)-1,8-S(2)-nap){ML(n)}] (in which (1,8-S(2)-nap)=naphtho-1,8-dithiolate and {ML(n)}={PtCl(2)} (1), {PtClMe} (2), {PtClPh} (3), {PtMe(2)} (4), {PtIMe(3)} (5) and {Mo(CO)(4)} (6)) were obtained by the addition of [PtCl(2)(NCPh)(2)], [PtClMe(cod)] (cod=1,5-cyclooctadiene), [PtClPh(cod)], [PtMe(2)(cod)], [{PtIMe(3)}(4)] and [Mo(CO)(4)(nbd)] (nbd=norbornadiene), respectively, to [Pt(PPh(3))(2)(1,8-S(2)-nap)]. Synthesis of cationic complexes was achieved by the addition of one or two equivalents of a halide abstractor, Ag[BF(4)] or Ag[ClO(4)], to [{Pt(mu-Cl)(mu-eta(2):eta(1)-C(3)H(5))}(4)], [{Pd(mu-Cl)(eta(3)-C(3)H(5))}(2)], [{IrCl(mu-Cl)(eta(5)-C(5)Me(5))}(2)] (in which C(5)Me(5)=Cp*=1,2,3,4,5-pentamethylcyclopentadienyl), [{RhCl(mu-Cl)(eta(5)-C(5)Me(5))}(2)], [PtCl(2)(PMe(2)Ph)(2)] and [{Rh(mu-Cl)(cod)}(2)] to give the appropriate coordinatively unsaturated species that, upon treatment with [(PPh(3))(2)Pt(1,8-S(2)-nap)], gave complexes of the form [(PPh(3))(2)(mu(2)-1,8-S(2)-nap){ML(n)}][X] (in which {ML(n)}[X]={Pt(eta(3)-C(3)H(5))}[ClO(4)] (7), {Pd(eta(3)-C(3)H(5))}[ClO(4)] (8), {IrCl(eta(5)-C(5)Me(5))}[ClO(4)] (9), {RhCl(eta(5)-C(5)Me(5))}[BF(4)] (10), {Pt(PMe(2)Ph)(2)}[ClO(4)](2) (11), {Rh(cod)}[ClO(4)] (12); the carbonyl complex {Rh(CO)(2)}[ClO(4)] (13) was formed by bubbling gaseous CO through a solution of 12. In all cases the naphtho-1,8-dithiolate ligand acts as a bridge between two metal centres to give a four-membered PtMS(2) ring (M=transition metal). All compounds were characterised spectroscopically. The X-ray structures of 5, 6, 7, 8, 10 and 12 reveal a binuclear PtMS(2) core with PtM distances ranging from 2.9630(8)-3.438(1) A for 8 and 5, respectively. The napS(2) mean plane is tilted with respect to the PtP(2)S(2) coordination plane, with dihedral angles in the range 49.7-76.1 degrees and the degree of tilting being related to the PtM distance and the coordination number of M. The sum of the Pt(1)coordination plane/napS(2) angle, a, and the Pt(1)coordination plane/M(2)coordination plane angle, b, a+b, is close to 120 degrees in nearly all cases. This suggests that electronic effects play a significant role in these binuclear systems.