Phosphaalkene vs. phosphinidene: the nature of the P-C bond in carbonyl-decorated carbene -> PPh adducts

Treatment of dichlorophenylphosphine with two equivalents of carbonyl-decorated carbenes results in a two-electron reduction of the phosphorus centre concomitant with carbene oxidation to afford novel phosphaalkenes as confirmed via crystallographic, spectroscopic, and DFT analyses.