(2,4-Di-(tert-butyl)-6-methylphenyl)dithiophosphorane

Use of the 2,4-di-(tert-butyl)-6-methylphenyl radical permits stabilization of the corresponding dithiophosphorane (I). The analogous diselenophosphorane could not be detected as the monomer. This compound undergoes intramolecular addition of the C-H bond of the ortho-tert-butyl group at the P=Se bond with formation of the corresponding diselenophosphonic acid (III). Intermediate selenophosphine oxide (IV) was trapped as its salt with triethylamine (V).Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 7, pp. 1654–1656, July, 1991.