Ethylenebis(triphenylphosphine)platinum is used as a trap for the P-2-containing molecule W(CO)(5)(P-2), which is eliminated at room temperature from a niobium-complexed diphosphaazide ligand. The rate of W(CO)(5)(P-2) elimination is unaffected by the presence of the platinum species. Attempts to generate and trap free P-2 with the platinum ethylene complex were hindered by the direct reaction between the platinum starting material and the P-2 generator, (Mes*NPP)Nb(N[Np]Ar)(3). In this case, reductive cleavage of the P-P bond in the diphosphaazide ligand is induced by platinum coordination, resulting in the formation of a trimetallic system with two bridging, three-coordinate phosphorus atoms.