Bis(phosphinimino)methanides exhibit a wide variety of coordination chemistry with almost all elements in the periodic table. This critical review deals with the chemistry and coordination behavior of bulky monoanionic (CH(PPh2NR)2)−bis(phosphinimino)methanide and dianionic (C(PPh2NR)2)2−bis(phosphinimino)methanediide (R = SiMe3, aryl) ligands focusing on s- and p-block as well as transition metals (109 references). © 2009 The Royal Society of Chemistry.