Abstract Unsubstituted and trimethyl-4, 8-diphosphathiophenetriptycenes (4 and 3d) were synthesized by reduction of the corresponding phosphine oxides (8a and 8b) with trichlorosilane which were prepared by the reaction of trilithium salts, derived from tri-3- thienylphosphine oxides (7a and 7b), with P (OPh) 3. The reaction of 3d with W (CO) 5 (THF) gave a 1: 2 complex 12 in high yield.
