Abstract
The reactions of P4 with metal carbonyls of chromium, tungsten and iron lead to square planar cyclo-P4 ligand complexes and to a rectangular distorted P4 ligand complex, respectively. Furthermore the study of the transformation pathway of tetrahedral P4 to the corresponding Px ligands reveals a stepwise (PP) bond cleavage with a bicyclotetraphosphine intermediate to give a cyclo-P4 containing product.