Phosphaethene, the unstable parent compound in the phosphaalkenes series, has been thoroughly investigated using theoretical calculations. For the first time, its electronic structure is evidenced from its photoelectron spectrum. The P E spectra of phosphaethene and 1 -phosphapropene, generated in the gas phase by the respective vacuum dehydrochlorination of chloromethylphosphine and I-chloroethylphosphine, have been recorded in situ by the use of a vacuum device directly coupled to the spectrophotometer. T h e vertical rW and np ionization energies are observed respectively a t 10.30 and 10.70 eV for phosphaethene and a t 9.75 and 10.35 eV for I-phosphapropene. The band's characterizations are discussed through correlations with the corresponding imines and with substituted phosphaalkenes and are confirmed by a b initio theoretical calculations.T h e results indicate a rather significant energetic separation between the two first rWc and np ionic states.

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For the first time the electronic structure of phosphaethene (CH2=PH), the unstable parent compound in the phosphaalkene series, is deduced from its photoelectron spectrum.