The two-coordinate Group 12 complexes 2-4 were prepared by the metathesis reaction of 1 with the appropriate metal halide (ZnCl2, CdI2, HgBr2) in diethyl ether (Scheme 2). The resulting complexes were isolated as white crystalline solids in moderate to good yields (40-57%) after extraction and recrystallisation from n-hexane. For the formation of 3, it was necessary to use CdI2, as reactions between 1 and CdCl2 in diethyl ether led to the precipitation of Cd(0). Complexes 2-4 are air and moisture sensitive and were characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction and multinuclear NMR spectroscopy. Complex 2 was also characterized by HRMS and CHN microanalysis; the high toxicity of complexes 3 and 4 precluded their analysis by these methods. The sum of the angles around each phosphorus centre (Σ°, Table ) is also consistent with an sp 3 hybridized P atom (i.e. no P=Si bond character). All of the complexes exhibit a P-M-P unit, with this angle increasing from Zn > Cd > Hg (Table ).