Versatile routes to selenoether functionalised tertiary phosphinesElectronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Experimental procedures, spectroscopic data and additional X-ray figures. CCDC reference numbers 766945-766947. For ESI and crystallographic data in CIF or other electronic format see DOI: 10.1039/c0dt00004c

New selenoether functionalised tertiary phosphines, based on aryl ( 2a , 2b ) or alkyl ( 4 ) backbones, have been synthesised and characterised. P,Se-chelation has been achieved upon complexation to square-planar Pt II ( 3a ) or Pd II ( 3b ) metal centres. For 3a and 3b , weak non-covalent M Se contacts were established using single crystal X-ray crystallography. New selenoether functionalised tertiary phosphines have been synthesised and P,Se-chelation observed upon coordination to square-planar metal centres.