New Group 9 metal complexes have been prepared using the trifunctional ligand benzylbis(2-ethoxyethy1)phosphine (L). Reactions of this potentially hemilabile ligand with CoCI,, and CoCI,*6H20 with AgCF,SO,, have been studied, resulting in the isolation of [CoCI,L,] 1 and [CoL,(O,SCF,),]2 respectively. In the former complex L acts as a monodentate P-bonding ligand with the metal adopting a tetrahedral geometry, but in the latter it acts as an 0.P chelate. The crystal structure for 2 has been determined and shows the metal to have a distorted-octahedral geometry with trans ligands (P and 0) and trans triflates. The ,lP-{lH} NMR spectrum of 2 suggests the formation of a dimeric species in solution. Reactions of L with RhCI3.3H,O, [{RhCI(CO),},] and [{RhCl(cod)},] (cod = cycloocta-l,5-diene) resulted in the isolation of [RhCI,L,] 3, [RhCI(CO)L,] 4 and [RhCl(cod)L] 5 respectively, where L acts as a monodentate P-bonding ligand in 4 and 5.Complex 4 is shown to be trans by NMR studies. In 3 the ligand bonds as a monodentate phosphorus donor in one case and as a bidentate 0.P chelate in the other. The crystal structure of 3 has been determined and shows the metal to have a slightly distorted-octahedral mer arrangement with cis phosphorus donors. The fluxional nature of this complex has been monitored by variabletemperature ,lP-{'H) and lH NMR spectroscopy which shows that these ligands readily interchange at high temperatures. The iridium analogue of 5 has been prepared from [{lrCl(cod)},] resulting in the isolation of [IrCl(cod)L] 6 . The reaction of 3 with cyclohexene gave an unstable alkene complex 7 which could not be isolated, but was identified by variable-temperature 31P-{1H} NMR studies.