The noncomplexed ligand Ph 2 PNHP(O)Ph 2 (HL) has been prepared, for the first time, from Ph 2 PNHPPh 2 (dppa) and H 2 O 2 in moderate yield. On further treatment with H 2 O 2 the phosphine oxide Ph 2 P(O)NHP(O)Ph 2 (1) can be formed. Reaction of [MCl 2 (COD)] (M ) Pt or Pd; COD ) cycloocta-1,5-diene) with 2 molar equiv of HL affords [MCl 2 (HL) 2 ] (4, 5) in which both ligands are monodentate P-bound. The analogous dibromo and diiodo derivatives [MX 2 (HL) 2 ] (6-9) were prepared from either [MX 2 (COD)] (M ) Pt or Pd; X ) Br or I) and HL or treatment of [MCl 2 (HL) 2 ] with an excess of NaI. Facile base deprotonation of the amine proton in 4 or 5 affords a new class of metallacycles [M(L) 2 ] [L -) Ph 2 PNP(O)Ph 2 -] (10, 11) incorporating two five-membered M-P-N-P-O rings. Compound 10 was independently made from [Pt(CH 3 ) 2 (COD)] and 2 equiv of HL in toluene at ambient temperature whereas the reaction of [Pt(CH 3 )Cl(COD)] with 2 equiv of HL affords solely trans-[Pt-(CH 3 )Cl(HL) 2 ] (13). Protonation of the neutral compound 10 with HCl in ethanol regenerates the ring-opened cis complex 4. In contrast, addition of HBF 4 ‚OEt 2 to 10 (or 11) results in exclusive protonation at the nitrogen atom of the chelating ligands to give cis-[M{Ph 2 PNHP(O)Ph 2 -P,O} 2 ][BF 4 ] 2 (15, 16); both chelate rings remain intact. The dicationic compounds 15, 16 can also be synthesized from 4, 5 in dichloromethane using Ag[BF 4 ] as a chloride abstractor. All new compounds described have been characterized by a combination of multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, IR spectroscopy, and elemental analyses. The molecular structures of Ph 2 PNHP(O)Ph 2 , cis-[PtBr 2 {Ph 2 PNHP(O)Ph 2 -P} 2 ], cis-[Pt{Ph 2 PNP(O)Ph 2 -P,O} 2 ], trans-[Pt(CH 3 )Cl{Ph 2 PNHP(O)Ph 2 -P} 2 ] and cis-[Pt{Ph 2 PNHP(O)Ph 2 -P,O} 2 ][BF 4 ] 2 have been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Crystals of HL are triclinic, space group P1 h, with a ) 10.410(2) Å, b ) 12.083(2) Å, c ) 9.036(4) Å, R ) 103.05(2)°, ) 99.09-(2)°, γ ) 72.98(1)°, V ) 1054 Å 3 , and Z ) 2. The final R and R w values were 0.061 and 0.047, respectively. Crystals of 6 are triclinic, space group P1 h, with a ) 13.113(4) Å, b ) 15.996(4) Å, c ) 13.011(4) Å, R ) 102.65(3)°, ) 117.39(2)°, γ ) 101.03(2)°, V ) 2225 Å 3 , and Z ) 2. The final R and R w values were 0.039 and 0.031, respectively. Crystals of 10 are monoclinic, space group P2 1 /a, with a ) 17.600(13) Å, b ) 13.498-(10) Å, c ) 18.641(9) Å, ) 105.13(1)°, V ) 4274 Å 3 , and Z ) 4. The final R and R w values were 0.041 and 0.036, respectively. Crystals of 13 are triclinic, space group P1 h, with a ) 14.686(2) Å, b ) 18.735(2) Å, c ) 9.018(3) Å, R ) 91.71(2)°, ) 102.27(2)°, γ ) 68.54(1)°, V ) 2253 Å 3 , and Z ) 2. The final R and R w values were 0.041 and 0.044, respectively. Crystals of 15 are orthorhombic, space group P2 1 2 1 2, with a ) 14.100(2) Å, b ) 19.002(1) Å, c ) 9.145(2) Å, V ) 2450 Å 3 , and Z ) 2. The final R and R w values were 0.052 and 0.057, respectively. The P-bound monodentate complexes contain ligands with similar...