Reactivity of platinum-based trinuclear carbonyl clusters of the type L2PtRu2(CO)8, where L2 = 1,3-bis(diphenylphosphino)propane (dppp) and 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane (dppe), is described. Oxidative addition reactions of these bimetallic carbonyl clusters with methyl iodide reveal the formation of products such as L2PtMeI and L2PtI2 and Ru3(CO)12. On heating with diphenylacetylene, L2PtRu2(CO)8 gave high yields of the corresponding products L2PtRu2(CO)6(μ3-η2-PhC2Ph) (L = PPh3 or L2 = dppe or dppp). Hydrogenation of (dppe)PtRu2(CO)6(μ-η2-PhC2Ph) yields stilbene and a new carbonyl cluster, [(dppe)2Pt2Ru(CO)4] possessing two platinum centers of the type {Pt2Ru}. All the products were isolated and characterized by FT-IR, NMR, and mass spectral analysis. The present article describes the synthesis and reactivity of platinum-based trinuclear carbonyl clusters L2PtRu2(CO)8 where L2 = 1,3-bis(diphenylphosphino)propane (dppp) and 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane (dppe). Oxidative addition reactions of these bimetallic carbonyl clusters with methyl iodide yield products such as L2PtMeI and L2PtI2 and Ru3(CO)12. On heating with diphenylacetylene, L2PtRu2(CO)8 gives high yields of the corresponding products like L2PtRu2(CO)6(μ3-η2-PhC2Ph) (L = PPh3 or L2 = dppe or dppp). Hydrogenation of (dppe)PtRu2(CO)6(μ3-η2-PhC2Ph) yields stilbene and a new carbonyl cluster, [(dppe)2Pt2Ru(CO)4] possessing two platinum centers of the type {Pt2Ru}. All the products were isolated and characterized by FT-IR, NMR, and mass spectral analysis. © 2015 Taylor and Francis.