The set of complexes bis-(μ:η(1),η(1)-3,4,5-triaryl-1,2-diphosphacyclopentadienyl)-bis-(tetracarbonyl manganese(i)) (aryl = C6H5 (), p-FC6H4 (), p-ClC6H4 ()) undergo an irreversible rearrangement to mononuclear 3,4,5-triaryl-1,2-diphosphacymantrenes (). According to quantum-chemical calculations binuclear complexes can be considered to be products of kinetic control and mononuclear species are thermodynamically favorable compounds. The antiferromagnetic intramolecular interaction observed for complexes can be effectively tuned by using substituents in the para-position of the arene ring, whereas mononuclear 1,2-diphosphacymantrenes are diamagnetic.