This paper is dedicatecl to Professor Leo Ycdfe or1 the occn.siorl of his 6.5111 birthdaj~ RYSZARD WOJTOWSKI, IVOR WHARF, and MARIO ONYSZCHUK. Can. J. Chcm. 61. 743 (1983).The preparation and properties of triphenyllead selenocyanate have been reinvestigated. Infrared spcctra show that the solid is polymeric with strong Pb-Se and weak Pb-N bonds; in benzene or CH2C12 solutions v(CN) values are consistent with the Ph,PbSeCN bonding mode. The first 1 : 1 adducts of triphenyllcad selenocyanatc with hexamethylphosphoramide (HMPA), pyridine-N-oxidc (pyO), 4-picoline-N-oxide (4-picO), and triphenylphosphinc oxide (TPPO) have been prepared; infrared data show that Ph,PbSeCN.L (L = pyO, 4-picO, TPPO) are selcnocyanates, but the HMPA adduct is an isoselenocyanate. The adducts dissociate in benzene and v(CN) frequencies show that both N-bonded and Se-bonded adduct isomers arc present. In contrast, thc adducts Ph3PbNCS.L (L = HMPA, pyO, 4-picO, TPPO) are N-bonded in the solid state and in benzenc solution where they are undissociated. Anline adducts, Ph3PbNCS.L (L = pyridine, P-picoline, y-picolinc, pyrrolidine (pyrrol), piperidine (pipy), cyclohexylamine (CyNH2)) and PhjPbNCS -2L (L = morpholine (morph)), as well as Ph3PbNCSe epipy and 2 Ph3PbNCSe.3L (L = pyrrol or morph) have been prepared. but thesc are less stable than adducts with 0-donor ligands. Infrared data suggest that amine adducts of Ph3PbNCS have N-bonded and/or ionic thiocyanate groups while all Ph3PbSeCN-amine adducts contain the sclenocyanate ion. [Traduit par le journal]