LINEAR OLIGOPHOSPHAALKANES .28.1. REDOX C YCLIZATION OF FUNCTIONAL METHYLENEBISPHOSPHANES XRP-CH2-PRX (X=H, CL) WITH CYCLOPOLYPHOSPHANES

Reaction of P-H or P-Cl functional methylenebisphosphanes X(R)P- CH2-P (R)X (X = H, Cl; R = Ph, tBu) with cyclopolyphosphanes (R'P)(n) (R' = Ph, tBu, Me; n = 4, 5) affords cyclocarbatetraphosphanes CH2(RP)(2)(R' P)(2) (2-6). The cyclopolyphosphanes (R'P)(n) employed may be synthesi zed in situ by reaction of chlorophosphanes R'PCl2 with primary phosph anes R'PH2, LiH or magnesium, respectively, providing a single stage s ynthesis for unsymme trically substituted cyclocarbatetraphosphanes.