noun
- A positively charged ion or cation containing phosphorus, formed when a phosphine compound gains a proton or alkyl group.
Usage: chemistry; technical
Examples
- Phosphonium salts are commonly used as reagents in organic synthesis.
- The phosphonium ion is structurally similar to the ammonium ion but contains phosphorus instead of nitrogen.
- Triphenylphosphonium chloride is a well-known phosphonium compound used in the Wittig reaction.
- Phosphonium ylides are important intermediates in organic chemistry.
- The stability of the phosphonium cation makes it useful in various chemical transformations.