Crystals of the title compound, C6Hs-O-(S)P(NH-NH)zP(S)-O-C6Hs, are monoclinic, a= 18"559 (7), b= 7.334 (2), c= 13-073 (5) A, ,8= 113.24 (3) °, space group C2/e, Z=4. The crystal structure was determined from X-ray diffraction data collected on a four-circle diffractometer by means of Patterson and difference Fourier syntheses and was refined by the method of least squares to an R value of 0.037 for 1345 reflexions. The molecules possess point symmetry 2. The phosphorus-hydrazine heterocycle has a twist conformation with P-N-N angles of 120.3 and 116-5 °, almost equal to those found in the chair conformation of the trans isomer. The N-P-N angle of 101"4 ° is smaller than in the chair form. The two P-N bonds (1-645 and 1.662 ~) are shorter than expected for single bonds. The N-N bond length is 1.400/~,. The two structures of the title compound and its isomer are the first example of twist and chair conformations being confirmed by X-ray analysis for a pair of cis-trans isomers of a sixmembered 1,4-substituted saturated ring system.