A remarkable pattern of structural diversity has been observed for the conformation of octachloro-1,10phenanthroline (ocp) in its free form and in its d 10 metal complexes [M(ocp) 2 ] + , M ) Cu, Ag, and Cl 2 Hg(ocp). Ocp: C 12 Cl 8 N 2 , monoclinic, space group P2 1 /c, a ) 5.6390(10) Å, b ) 24.970(3) Å, c ) 10.4660(10) Å, β ) 101.33°, Z ) 4; [Ag(ocp) 2 ](PF 6 )‚CH 2 Cl 2 , C 25 H 2 AgCl 18 F 6 N 4 P, monoclinic, space group P2/n, a ) 13.185(2) Å, b ) 9.4740(10) Å, c ) 16.106(2) Å, β ) 92.05°, Z ) 2; Cl 2 Hg(ocp)‚2.5C 6 H 6 : C 27 H 15 Cl 10 HgN 2 , triclinic, space group P1 h, a ) 10.391While ocp is virtually planar in the previously characterized ion [Cu(ocp) 2 ] + , the analogous silver(I) complex contains slightly twisted ocp ligands. In contrast, both the free, noncoordinated ligand and its dichloromercury(II) complex exhibit distincly saddle-shaped ocp. Cl 2 Hg(ocp) in particular contains a rather distorted chelate ligand. Ab initio calculations at the 6-31G** level show a flat energy hypersurface for ocp with an absolute minimum at a saddle-shaped conformation and a second energy minimum, 2.7 kcal/mol higher, for the coplanar arrangement. Nonbonded interactions between the chlorine atoms are responsible for the structural flexibility and limited coordination ability of ocp; electronically, ocp is a good acceptor ligand with two stabilized and close-lying unoccupied π* orbitals but much reduced σ donor capacity.