In contrast to the extensive organometallic chemistry of 1-phosphabenzenes (phosphinines) summarised by Le Floch [1] and others [2,3], the exploration of the behaviour of the corresponding 1,3,5-triphosphabenzene ring systems is much less developed. We described previously several h 1complexes of P 3 C 3 Bu t 3 with square-planar Pt(II) fragments [4] and Binger et al. reported the first examples of h 6 -ligated compounds typified by [M(CO) 3 (h 6 -P 3 C 3 Bu t 3)] (M = Mo, W), [Mn(h 5 -C 5 H 5 )(h 6 -P 3 C 3 Bu t3 )] and [Ru(h 4 -COD)(h 6 -P 3 C 3 Bu t3 )], (obtained directly from P 3 C 3 Bu t 3 ), which were not, however, structurally characterised [5]. Subsequently, Jones and coworkers [6] extended the range of h 6 -complexes to include [Ru(h 5 -C 5 Me 5 )(h 6 -P 3 C 3 Bu t3 )][PF 6 ] and [Rh(h 4 -COD) (h 6 -P 3 C 3 Bu t3 )][BAr f 4 ], whose structures were established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies.Elsewhere [7], we have structurally characterised the remarkable triple-decker compound [{Sc(P 3 C 2 Bu t 2 )} 2 -m-(h 6 -P 3 C 3 Bu t3 )] in which the 1,3,5-triphosphabenzene ring bridges two scandium(I) centres. Furthermore, in unpublished work, we have synthesised and fully structurally characterised the first simple sandwich compounds [M(h 6 -P 3 C 3 Bu t 3 ) 2 ] (M = Zr, Hf) containing these ring systems, (albeit in very low yield), by metal-vapour syntheses directly from the phosphaalkyne, t BuCP [8].Photoelectron spectroscopic studies and DFT calculations showed that the 1,3,5-triphospharene complexes [M(CO) 3 (h 6 -P 3 C 3 Bu t3 )] (M = Cr, Mo, W) have a higher first IE compared with their corresponding carbocyclic counterparts [M(CO) 3 (h 6 -C 6 H 3 Bu t3 )]. An electronic structure analysis indicated significantly stronger bonding in the former complexes as a result of the greater metal-ligand back donation to lower lying LUMOs of the phosphorus substituted ring [9].Complexation of phosphinines is related to the aromaticity of these compounds, which is comparable to that of benzene [10,11]. Accordingly h 6 -complexation of phos-