Treatment of ZrCl 4 with 3 equiv. of Li(PPh 2 NR) (R = tBu, iPr) gives tris(phosphinoamide)zirconium complexes, (PPh 2 NR) 3 -ZrCl [R = tBu (1a), iPr (1b)], in high yield. Crystal structures of 1a,b show that three phosphorus atoms are coordinated to the zirconium center in the solid state, whereas variable temperature NMR studies indicate a reversible coordination/ dissociation process of three phosphorus atoms in the solution state. Reaction of 1a,b with CuCl give rise to the formation of Zr-Cu heterodimetallic complexes, ClCu(Ph 2 PNR) 3 -ZrCl [R = tBu (2a), iPr (2b)]. The molecular structures of 2a,b show that the Cu atom adopts a pseudotetrahedral coordination geometry with tripodal phosphorus moieties and a chlorine atom, whereas the ligand arrangement around the Zr atom is trigonal bipyramidal with the linear Cl-Zr-Cu axis at