The metalation of bis(diphenylphosphanyl)amine, HN(PPh 2 ) 2 (5), with RbOtBu in the presence of N,N,N H ,N HH ,N HH -pentamethyldiethylenetriamine (PMDTA (3)) in toluene surprisingly affords the nearly PMDTA free RbN(PPh 2 ) 2 (6a). Recrystallization of 6a from tetrahydrofuran (THF) yields RbN(PPh 2 ) 2 Á 0.5 THF (6b). Compounds 6a, b crystallize in thin needles; however, these are not suitable for X-ray structure analyses. The reactions of 5 with MOtBu (M Rb, Cs) in the presence of 18-crown-6 in toluene yield the monomeric, pale yellow rubidium and caesium complexes [Rb(18-crown-6)(N(PPh 2 ) 2 )] (7) and [Cs(18-crown-6)(N(PPh 2 ) 2 )] (8), respectively. Allowing to stand a solution of 8 in THF for three months at 20 C results in a cleavage product of 8. This is identi®ed as the dimeric yellow complex [(Cs(18-crown-6)) 2 ("-N=P(H)Ph 2 ) 2 ] Á THF (9). The source of the hydrogen atom in the bridging phosphorane iminate anion [ a a n n N=P(H)Ph 2 ] À is uncertain. Compounds 7±9 are structurally characterized by X-ray analyses. These reveal that [N(PPh 2 ) 2 ] À acts as P-ligating chelate in 7, whereas it coordinates the Cs as N-donor as well as 2 C-donor with one phenyl group in 8. No phosphorus coordination is observed in 8. The two caesium cations in 9 are two-fold N-bridged by [ a a n n N=P(H)Ph 2 ] À . The coordination sphere of each caesium atom is completed by a 18-crown-6 ligand. The solid state 13 C NMR spectrum of 8 reveals dynamic phenomena (rotation of the 18-crown-6 ligand). In the solid state 31 P spectrum of 8, 31 P, 31 P±J-coupling is observed between the chemically non-equivalent phosphorus sites (J 390 Hz).