The discovery of a new synthesis of phosphine (PH3) and the missing compound (PH3)2H2

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A recent study, published on Nature Communications, describes the discovery of a new synthesis of phosphine (PH₃) starting from the elements under conditions of high pressure and high temperature in the absence of catalysts. The study, carried out by a team of researchers of the Institute of Chemistry of OrganoMetallic Compounds of the National Research Council of Sesto Fiorentino (CNR-ICCOM), of the European Laboratory of Non-linear Spectroscopy (LENS), of the Department of Chemistry of the University of Florence and the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), also demonstrates that, at even higher pressure and at room temperature, PH₃ and molecular hydrogen (H₂) form a crystalline compound of formula (PH₃)₂H₂, which had never been observed until now for any of the elements of the group 15 of the periodic table.

Matteo Ceppatelli, Demetrio Scelta, Manuel Serrano-Ruiz, Kamil Dziubek, Gaston Garbarino, Jeroen Jacobs, Mohamed Mezouar, Roberto Bini, Maurizio Peruzzini. High pressure synthesis of phosphine from the elements and the discovery of the missing (PH₃)₂H_2. Nature Communications 2020, 11, 6125.

More info at: https://www.cnr.it/it/comunicato-stampa/9883