The solid-state structures of several 2,3-bis(phosphanyl)-1,4-diazadiene ligands of the general formula RN= C(PPh 2 )−C(PPh 2 )=NR (B: R = 4-tolyl; C: R = 4-tert-butylphenyl; D: R = mesityl) were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The ligands B and C are nonplanar and lie between the (E) and the (Z) form (N=C−C=N is 99.5°in B, 94.0°in C, and 128.2°in D). In the presence of air, B is oxidized to its corresponding phosphane oxide. Reaction of D with elemental sulfur yields the corresponding phosphane sulfide. Furthermore, ligand C reacts with [PtCl 2 (cod)] and [PdCl 2 (CH 3 CN) 2 ] to form mononuclear complexes (1 and 2, respectively) in which the two P atoms are bound to the metal center. X-ray structural analysis showed that in both complexes the 1,4-diazadiene functionality at the periphery had undergone a ring-closure reaction with one of the aromatic N-substituents thus resulting in a quinoxaline ring. The bulkier ligand D reacts with [PdCl 2 (CH 3 CN) 2 ] to form the monon-