Preparation and reaction of sterically crowded N-(2,4-di-t-butylphenyl)-N-methylaminodichlorophosphine

One of the o-t-butyl groups was eliminated from 2,4,6-tri-t-butyl-N-methylaniline by reaction with phosphorus trichloride in DME to afford sterically crowded N-(2,4-di-t-butylphenyl)-N-methylaminodichlorophosphine, which was utilized for preparation of a novel unsymmetrical diphosphene.