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Methylphosphine

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colorless gas

Methylphosphine

Methylphosphine is the simplest organophosphorus compound with the formula CH3PH2, often written MePH2. It is a malodorous gas that condenses to a colorless liquid. It can be produced by methylation of phosphide salts:

KPH2 + MeI → MePH2 + KI

Reactions

The compound exhibits the properties characteristic of a primary phosphine, i.e., a compound of the type RPH2. It can be oxidized to methylphosphonous acid:

MePH2 + O2 → MeP(H)O2H

It protonates to give the phosphonium ion:

MePH2 + H+ → MePH3+

With strong bases, it can be deprotonated to give methylphosphide derivatives:

MePH2 + KOH → K[MePH] + H2O

References

Methylphosphine Wikipedia
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