Abstract
This review describes reactions of 1λ
3
-phosphaalkynes with main group elements. The literature herein covers all known compounds by combined insertions and oligomerization reactions of 1λ
3
-phosphaalkynes with various halides of groups 13 and 15 that have been structurally characterized by X-ray diffraction techniques. The available 1λ
3
-phosphaalkynes and their unsupported phosphorus-carbon cyclo-oligomer cage compounds are included. These investigations show 1λ
3
-phosphaalkynes, R-C≡P, are ideal starting materials for formation of organophosphorus cage compounds, owing to their enormous potential for cycloaddition and cyclooligomerization reactions.