Triphenylmethyl tris(p-methoxyphenyl)phosphonium cation: a structurally characterized phosphonium analog of hexaphenylethane

Reaction of tris(p-methoxyphenyl)phosphine with [Ph3C][B(Ar-F)(4)] [Ar-F=3,5-(CF3)(2)C6H3] afforded [Ph3CP (4-OMeC6H4)(3)][B(Ar-F)(4)], a structural analog of hexaphenylethane, which shows a very long P-C distance [1.931(3) Angstrom] in the solid state, indicating a strong steric repulsive interaction between the two parts of the phosphonium cation.