Abstract In a search for ring-strained carbodiphosphoranes chemical structure image, the diastereomeric bis-phosphanes 1a (RR, SS, RS) and the symmetrical analogue 1c have been converted into the corresponding cyclic methylene-bridged bis-phosphonium bromides 2a, c and hexafluorophosphates 2b. 2a (RR; SS) and 2a (RS) were separated by fractional crystallization. Treatment of 2a–c with base (NH 3 or n-BuLi) yields, in a first step ...