Some Aspects of the Chemistry of Cyclopolyphosphines

Abstract

Several new cyclotetraphosphines, (RP)4, have been synthesized by the reduction of primary dihalophosphines with magnesium, the dehydration of primary phosphine oxides, and by methods already reported in the literature. The dehydration reaction constitutes the first example of the formation of a P-P bond by loss of water. The vapor phase ultraviolet spectra of alkylcyclotetraphosphines have been found to be characteristic of the ring and different from that of cyclopentaphosphines, (RP)5. Evidence is presented for the existence of two tetraphenylcyclotetraphosphines, (C6H5P)4, and for the nonexistence of (C6H5P)2. © 1963, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.