Platinum (II) complexes bearing various alkyne–pyrene, alkyne–4′-terpyridine and alkyne– dibutoxyphenylacetylide–terpyridine units were constructed in a step-by-step procedure based on copper-promoted cross-coupling reactions with preconstructed modules; formation of bis (ligand) complexes of Fe (II) and Zn (II) by binding of the pendent terpyridine units provided heterotrinuclear derivatives, all of which exhibit highly structured absorption ...