Reaction of isophthaloyl dichloride with two equivalents of benzylamine in the presence of Et3N gives N,N′-dibenzyl-1,3-isophthaldiamide which reacts with two equivalents of Ph2PCl, in the presence of n-BuLi at −78 °C to give 1,3-C6H4-{C(O)N(PPh2)CH2Ph}2 (1). Reaction of 1 with [PtCl2(cod)] in dichloromethane gives the P,P′,C tridentate bis-chelate [Pt(Cl){1,3-C6H4-{C(O)N(PPh2)CH2Ph}2}] (2), whilst reaction of 1 with two equivalents of [(C3H5)PdCl]2 in thf results in [{PdCl(C3H5)}2 {1,3-C6H4-{C(O)N(PPh2)CH2Ph}2}] (3) in which the ligand bridges two palladium centres. The X-ray structures of 2 and 3 are reported. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]