Transmetallation reactions with the new dimeric compound [LiL]2 (L = C6H4CH2N(Me)CH2CH2NMe2-2] have incorporated the potentially terdentate monoanionic C,N,N' ligand system L into the new complexes [M(I)L(cod)] (M = Rh or Ir, cod = cycloocta-1,5-diene) and [Pt(II)CI(L)] which have been characterized by H-1 and C-13 NMR spectroscopy. In solution these complexes are square-planar with L co-ordinated as a C,N bidentate in [ML(cod)] and as a C,N,N' terdentate in [PtCl(L)]. However, the solid-state molecular structure of [IrL(cod)] shows a C,N,N' terdentate co-ordination mode of L; the square-pyramidal geometry reflects a situation in the direction of the reaction transition state of a nucleophile (NMe2) attacking a d8 metal centre. Crystals of [IrL(cod)](C20H31IrN2) are orthorhombic, space group P2(1)2(1)2(1), with a = 7.956(3), b = 14.090(l), c = 16.484(2) angstrom, Z = 4, final R = 0.0284 for 2078 reflections with I greater-than-or-equal-to 2.5sigma(I) and 221 parameters. The neutral monodentate ligands CO and PPh3 replace the bidentate cod ligand in [ML(cod)] (M = Rh or Ir) to afford complexes which in solution on the NMR time-scale are fluxional and in which L is either bi- or ter-dentate.