Seven platinum(II) complexes formulated as Pt(bph)L, where bph is the 2,2'-biphenyl dianion and L=4-methyl-1,10-phenanthroline (4-Mephen), 5-methyl-1,10-phenanthroline (5-Mephen), 5-chloro-1,10-phenanthroline (5-Clphen), 5,6-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline (5,6-Me 2 phen), 4,7-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline (4,7-Me 2 phen), 4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline (4,7-Ph 2 phen) and 3,4,7,8-tetramethyl-1,10-phenanthroline (3,4,7,8-Me 4 phen) are reported. Protons attached to the phen ligand resonate downfield from those attached to the bph ligand and two proton signals are split by interaction with 1 9 5 Pt. Pt(bph)(3,4,7,8-Me 4 phen), Pt(bph)(4,7-Me 2 phen), Pt(bph)(5,6-Me 2 phen), Pt(bph)(4,7-Ph 2 phen) and Pt(bph)(5-Mephen) crystallize in the space groups Pna2 1 , P2 1 /n, P2 1 /c, P-1 and Pca2 1 , respectively. The structures of the complexes deviate from true planarity and divide themselves into two groups where the bph and phen ligands cross in an X configuration or bow out in a butterfly (B) configuration. Circular dichroism revealed two different spectra with respect to the X and B configurations.