The reaction of halogens with triphenylphosphine in moist methyl cyanide yields triphenylphosphonium halides, in addition to the dihalides and tetrahalides formed under anhydrous conditions. Ph3PHI, Ph3PH I0·33Br0·67, and Ph3PHBr have been isolated from the reactions of I2, IBr, and Br2, respectively. Such compounds appear to be the unidentifield “monohalide” species (R3PX) reported in similar reactions by other authors.
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Beveridge et al. (1966) studied this question.