Abstract
Phosphine (PH3) has recently been identified as a constituent of the atmospheres of Jupiter and Saturn1–3. It is probably formed in the hot depths of the atmospheres of these planets and is carried to the upper levels by atmospheric turbulence. The red colorations in the atmosphere and Great Red Spot of Jupiter may be due to the photolysis of the PH3 in the upper atmosphere to red phosphorus (P4) (ref. 4). We initiated an investigation of PH3 photolysis because of its potential significance in the atmospheric chemistry of Jupiter4–6. We report here that P2H4 is the initial product of PH3 photolysis and that it is the principal intermediate in the formation of red phosphorus. These findings require substantial revision of the previously accepted mechanism for PH3 photolysis6–8.
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Ferris, J., Benson, R. Diphosphine is an intermediate in the photolysis of phosphine to phosphorus and hydrogen. Nature 285, 156–157 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1038/285156a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/285156a0
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