This reddish orange salt is an important reagent for the preparation of other coordination complexes of platinum.

Potassium tetrachloroplatinate is prepared by reduction of the corresponding hexachloroplatinate salt with sulfur dioxide.

Treatment with alcohols, especially in the presence of base, causes reduction to platinum metal.

Upon reaction with triphenylphosphine, [PtCl4]2− converts to cis-bis(triphenylphosphine)platinum chloride: The anti-cancer drug Cisplatin can similarly be prepared:[1] Enedithiolates displace all four chloride ligands to give bis(dithiolene) complexes.

This material, known as Magnus' green salt, is a semiconducting coordination polymer consisting of chains of alternating [PtCl4]2− and [Pt(NH3)4]2+ centres.