The effect of modifying the N-aryl substituent (aryl= mesityl vs. m-xylyl) of the phosphinoamide ligands linking Zr and Co in tris (phosphinoamide)-linked heterobimetallic complexes has been investigated. Treatment of the metalloligand (i Pr 2 PNXyl) 3 ZrCl (2)(Xyl= m-xylyl) with CoI 2 affords the iodide-bridged product ICo (i Pr 2 PNXyl) 2 (μ-I) Zr (η 2-i Pr 2 PNXyl)(3) rather than the C 3-symmetric isomer observed using the N-mesityl ...