The steric, electronic, and synthetic characteristics of 3,4-diazaphospholanes are reported. Crystallographic structures of free and metal-complexed 3,4-diazaphospholanes provide steric metrics (cone angle, solid angle, etc.). Diazaphospholanes span a wide range of sizes with cone angles varying from 135 to 188°. The electron-donating abilities of diazaphospholanes have been estimated using the carbonyl infrared stretching frequencies, ν(CO), of [trans-Rh(diazaphospholane) 2 (CO)Cl] complexes. Frequencies for the CO stretches range from 1975 to 2011 cm -1 , thus indicating that 3,4-diazaphospholanes may be as electron rich as dialkylarylphosphines or as electron deficient as trialkyl phosphites. Reduction of N,N′-phthalamido-3,4-diazaphospholanes with BH 3 ‚SMe 2 yields diazaphospholanes that not only are more electron rich but also show a reorientation of the phospholane substituents that may affect catalytic properties. Diazaphospholanes readily react with many Rh and Pd catalyst precursors to form complexes. Metal complexes of 3,4-diazaphospholanes exhibit reactivities different from those of common phosphine complexes, presumably due to the generally greater steric bulk and electron deficiency of 3,4-diazaphospholanes relative to phosphines. Cationic Rh(I) complexes of 3,4-diazaphospholanes abstract chloride ligands from chlorinated solvents to afford chloride-bridged dimers. The complex [(rac-17)Pd-(Me)Cl] rearranges in solutionsstereoselectively transferring methyl from palladium to phosphorus while simultaneously opening a diazaphospholane ring. Many of the 3,4-diazaphospholane-metal complexes have extremely close Cl‚‚‚H-C(P)(N) contacts, suggesting Cl‚‚‚H hydrogen bonding.