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Electric Discharge Reactions in Mixtures of Phosphine, Methane, Ammonia and Water

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Abstract

THE reaction of phosphine with water at high temperatures and pressures yields mixtures of orthophosphoric and phosphorous acids in various proportions, depending on the conditions1. Phosphine reacts with unsaturated hydrocarbons2,3, and carbonyl compounds4 such as aldehydes and ketones, to give rise to organic phosphines which are products containing C—P bonds. The α-amino-alkylation of white phosphorus and diphosphines with an amine and a carbonyl compound in aqueous solutions has also been reported5.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Exobiology Division, Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, 94035

    JOSEPH RABINOWITZ, FRITZ WOELLER, JOSE FLORES & RITA KREBSBACH

Authors
  1. JOSEPH RABINOWITZ
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  2. FRITZ WOELLER
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  3. JOSE FLORES
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  4. RITA KREBSBACH
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RABINOWITZ, J., WOELLER, F., FLORES, J. et al. Electric Discharge Reactions in Mixtures of Phosphine, Methane, Ammonia and Water. Nature 224, 796–798 (1969). https://doi.org/10.1038/224796a0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/224796a0

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