Direct syntheses of 1-phenylphosphetane and 1-phenylphosphirane. Crystal and molecular structures of cyclotrimerisation precursor complexes fac-[Mo(CO)3(PhPCH2CH2CH2)3] and fac-[Mo(CO)3(PhPCH2CH2)3]

Dilithium phenylphosphide reacts with 1,3-dichloropropane or 1,2-dichloroethane to give 1-phenylphosphetane or 1-phenylphosphirane, respectively; the free phosphines have been used to prepare the cyclotrimerisation precursor complexes fac-[Mo(CO)3(Ph[graphic omitted]H2)3] and fac-[Mo(CO)3([graphic omitted]H2)3].