A carbene-stabilized diphosphorus: a triple-bonded diphosphorus (P[triple bond, length as m-dash]P) and a bis(phosphinidene) (P-P) transfer agent.

The reaction of the ,-diisopropyl bromoiminium salt with excess sodium phosphaethynolate (NaPCO) affords a diphospha-urea 2. Under blue light irradiation (450 nm), carbon monoxide is liberated affording the bis(carbene)P adduct 3. Photolysis of a benzene solution of 3 at 365 nm gives rise to the carbene dimer, namely the 1,2-bis(diisopropylamino)ethylene as a / mixture, along with white and red phosphorus. Under the same experimental conditions, but in the presence of excess 2,3-dimethyl-1,3-butadiene, the classical double Diels-Alder adduct of the triple-bonded diphosphorus P[triple bond, length as m-dash]P was obtained along with the bis(phospholene) formally resulting from a double [4 + 1] reaction of the diene with the bis(phosphinidene) form of P. A stepwise carbene-carbene exchange reaction also occurs between the monosubstituted aminocarbene of 3 and a cyclic (alkyl)(amino)carbene, possibly involving the transient formation of a diphosphorus analogue of a diazo compound.