Bis(diphenylphosphinoethyl)phenylphosphine

Bis(diphenylphosphinoethyl)phenylphosphine is the organophosphorus compound with the formula [Ph2PCH2CH2]2PPh (Ph = C6H5). It is an air-sensitive white solid that function as tridentate ligands in coordination and organometallic chemistry.

It is prepared by the free-radical-catalysed addition of phenylphosphine to vinyldiphenylphosphine:
 * 2 Ph2PCH=CH2 +  H2PPh   →   [Ph2PCH2CH2]2PPh

It can bind to an octahedral metal center give either a facial or meridional isomers. Some derivatives are square planar complexes of the type [MX(triphos)]+ (M = Ni, Pd, Pt; X = halide).

Related ligands

 * diethylenetriamine (HN(CH2CH2NH2)2)
 * bis(diphenylphosphinophenyl)phenylphosphine (PhP(C6H4PPh2)2)
 * 1,1,1-Tris(diphenylphosphinomethyl)ethane, a tripodal ligand.