In memory of Professor Luigi M. Venanzi, a highly respected inorganic chemist Electrophilic and nucleophilic terminal-phosphinidene complexes are compared in terms of electronic structures and reactivities. Various precursors of the unstable electrophilic species [RÀPÀM] (M Cr, Mo, W(CO) 5 and Fe(CO) 4 ) are discussed. The addition reactions of the electrophilic phosphinidene complexes with Lewis bases, insertion reactions into OÀH, NÀH, and activated CÀH bonds, and cycloaddition reactions with double and triple bonds are described, as well as some rearrangements and autocondensations. Various applications to the synthesis of new organophosphorus molecules are discussed and techniques available for demetallation are given.