Recognizing that catenation of carbon is principally responsible for the diversity and extent of organic chemistry, the "diagonal relationship" between carbon and phosphorus in the Periodic Table is often quoted [1,2] in the discussion of the numerous catenated polyphosphines [2][3][4][5][6] and polyphosphorus anions. [2][3][4][7][8][9][10][11][12] catena-Phosphorus cation systems are less well developed despite the classical chemistry of phosphonium salts, but the pioneering contributions of Schmidpeter and coworkers [13][14][15] and Schmutzler et al. [16] have highlighted new aspects of structure and bonding that prompt the establishment of a comprehensive polyphosphinophosphonium series. Our high-yielding and facile methods for the synthesis of the prototypical phosphinophosphonium 1, [17] diphosphinophosphonium 2, [18] and cyclotetraphosphinophosphonium 5 [18] cations have now been applied to the preparation of the first examples of cyclodiphosphinophosphonium 3 and cyclotriphosphinophosphonium 4 cations (Scheme 1). Isolation of these new frameworks is surprising in light of the exclusive formation of 5 over possible tetra-and hexaphosphorus derivatives with phenyl substituents at the phosphorus centers.[18] Derivatives of 3 and 4 provide representative frameworks that complete a series of the smallest cyclopolyphosphinophosphonium cations 3-5, and their characterization is pivotal in the systematic development of fundamental phosphorus chemistry.31 P NMR spectra of reaction mixtures containing (PtBu) 3 (6 a) with excess MeOTf show quantitative formation of [(PtBu) 3 Me][OTf] (3 a-OTf; Figure 1 a and Scheme 2 a). The spectrum can be approximated as an AMX [19] spin system and is consistent with the solid-state structure of 3 a-OTf (Figure 2 a), thus demonstrating stereoselective methylation of 6 a at either of the syn-configured centers to give a racemic Scheme 1. Prototypical catena-polyphosphinophosphonium cation frameworks. 31 P NMR spectra at 101.3 MHz: a) mixture of MeOTf (2 equiv) and (PtBu) 3 , which shows the approximate AMX pattern of 3 a-OTf; b) mixture of MeOTf (2 equiv) and (PCy) 4 , which shows the approximate A 2 MX pattern of 4 a-OTf; c) experimental (top) and simulated (inverted) AB 2 X pattern of pure 4 b-OTf.