The crystal structure of bis(tetra‐phenylimidodiphosphinato)beryllium (as a benzene solvate), Be(OPh2PNPPh2O)2. C6H6, was determined by X‐ray diffraction and compared with that of beryllium acetylacetonate, Be(OCMeCHCMeO)2. The imidodiphosphinate is an inorganic spirobicyclic system, Be(OPNPO)2, with tetrahedrally coordinated beryllium. Unlike the planar BeO2C3 rings in the acetylacetonate, the two six‐membered BeO2P2N inorganic rings are nonplanar and display a skew boat conformation. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 11:244–248, 2000