Facile synthesis of highly congested 1,2-diphosphinobenzenes from bis(phosphine)boronium salts.

[Structure: see text] Bis(phosphine)boronium salts 3a-c were designed and prepared as key building blocks for the synthesis of highly congested diphosphinobenzenes. The preparation of sterically hindered ortho-phenylene-bridged diphosphines 1a-c was achieved by the reaction of the bis(phosphine)boronium salts 3a-c with difluorobenzenechromium complex 2 and subsequent removal of the BH2 group. The steric nature of diphosphine 1a was revealed in single-crystal X-ray analysis of its Rh complex.