[1] It can occur as a group phosphanyl -PH2 in organic compounds or ligand called phosphanido, or dihydridophosphato(1−).
[4] The study of phosphine derivatives is unpopular, because they are unstable, poisonous and malodorous.
[3] When calcium phosphanide is heated, it decomposes by releasing phosphine and yielding the phosphanediide: CaPH.
[6] Phosphanides can react with CCl4 to substitute Cl for H giving a -PCl2 compound.
[8] Some derivatives of phosphanides have also been studied where hydrogen is substituted by another group.