This volume C 1 is the first supplement volume to "Phosphor" C which was
published in 1965 and covers the compounds of phosphorus. Starting with
the binary species formed between phosphorus and hydrogen, the present
volume deals with the neutral mononuclear compounds PH through PH; the
ions featuring the same stoichiometric composition are s covered in
separate sections. PH and PH are the major initial gaseous decomposition
products of PH and, thus, also 2 J intermediates in many of its
gas-phase reactions. Both molecules and their ions have been thoroughly
investigated by a variety of modern, high-resolution spectroscopic
methods during the last three decades. The coverage of their physical,
and mostly molecular, properties re- presents the largest part of the
first two chapters (PH and ions pp. 2 to 47; PH and ions pp. 47 2 to
111). PH is the only compound described in this volume which is
thermally stable under normal J conditions. It is the phosphorus analog
of ammonia, but exhibits, however, a quite different chemical behavior
towards most elements and compounds. The majority of its physical, and
in particular spectroscopic, properties have been determined in great
detail since the sixties, partially in regard to spectroscopic
investigations of the atmospheres of the outer planets.