The reaction of triphenylphosphine with lithium.

When adding lithium metal (those near shiny lumps floating over there) to a solution of triphenylphopshine in tetrahydrofuran, phenyl lithium and lithium diphenylphosphide will form (that orange colored thing at the surface of the lithium). The reaction will only happen if the solvent does not contain any water, but when it starts, the whole solution will turn blood red in a few minutes.

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9:31 pm • 2 July 2014 • 195 notes • View comments