Abstract:The synthesis and structures of aseries of M/X carbenoids of the type [Ph 2 P(S)] 2 CMX with M = Li, Na, and K and X = Cl and Br are reported,a mongstt he first isolated Na/Br and K/Br carbenoids.N MR spectroscopic as well as crystallographic studies showed distinct differences between the lithiumc arbenoids and their heavierc ongeners. In the solid state, all carbenoids showedn od irectmetal-carbon interaction,b ut an interaction between the metal and the halogen atom. This contact is only very weak in the case of the Li/Br carbenoid, but much more pronounced in the corresponding potassium and sodium compounds. Nevertheless, these interactions did not significantly influence the stability of the carbenoids by weakening the CÀXb onda nd facilitating the MX elimination. As such all compounds were found to be stable up to approximately 60 8Ci ns olution. Hence, MÀXi nteractions-albeitb eing an essential feature fort he structure formation of carbenoids-arenot the only criterion determining the stabilityo fs uch compounds.I nt he present systems, the stabilization by the thiophosphinoyl moieties is more important than the metal/halogen combination.