Me 2 Sn(O 2 PPh 2 ) 2 (1), Ph 2 Pb(O 2 PMe 2 ) 2 (2), and Ph 2 Pb(O 2 PPh 2 ) 2 (3) have been synthesized by the reactions of Me 2 SnCl 2 or Ph 3 PbCl with the corresponding diorganophosphinic acid in methanol. X-ray diffraction studies show that the diorganophosphinate groups behave as double bridges between the metal atoms leading to polymeric ringchain structures with M 2 O 4 P 2 (M = Pb, Sn) eight-membered rings. The organic groups bonded to the metal atoms are in trans-position in the resulting octahedral arrangement around the metal atoms. The IR and the mass spectra were reported and discussed.