The reaction of vinylidene complexes [(η
5-C5H5)(CO)(NO)WCCHR] [R = H (1a), CH3
(1b), C6H5 (1c)] with chlorodiphenylphosphine (2) leads to neutral
[R = H (3a), CH3 (3b), C6H5 (3c)]. Analogously the reaction of chlorodi-tert-butylphosphine (4) with [(η
5-C5H5)(CO)(NO)WCCH2] (1a) gives rise to chloro(η
5-cyclopentadienyl)nitrosyl(η
2-di-tert-butylphosphinovinyl)tungsten (5). The formation of these
metallacyclopropane rings is rationalized by the nucleophilic attack of chlorophosphine on
the Cα carbon of the vinylidene, followed by substitution of the carbonyl ligand. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction data of 3a−c and 5 are reported.