The electronic structure of rhombohedral Li4Pt3Si (space group R32) is examined from ab initio with an assessment of the properties of chemical bonding relating to the presence of different Li and Pt Wyckoff sites. The structure with totally de-intercalated Li keeps the characteristics of the pristine compound with a reduction of the volume albeit with less cohesive energy. The binding energies of Li point to different bonding intensities according to their different Wyckoff sites and indicate the possibility of delithiation. (C) 2012 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.