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

The metathetical reactions of Li(2)[C(Ph(2)PS)(2)] with MCl(3) (M = Sb, Bi) in a 1:1 molar ratio in toluene afford the complexes {MCl[C(Ph(2)PS)(2)]}(2), which dimerise through weak MS interactions; the S,C,S-coordination of the tridentate ligand to the metal in the monomeric units incorporates a polar M-C single bond and a three-centre two-electron S-M-S bond.