S,C,S-Pnictogen bonding in pincer complexes of the methanediide [C(Ph2PS)(2)](2-)

The metathetical reactions of Li-2[C(Ph2PS)(2)] with MCl3 (M = Sb, Bi) in a 1:1 molar ratio in toluene afford the complexes {MCl[C(Ph2PS)(2)]}(2), which dimerise through weak M center dot center dot center dot S interactions; the S,C,S-coordination of the tridentate ligand to the metal in themonomeric units incorporates a polar M-C single bond and a three-centre two-electron S-M-S bond.