The synthesis of 10-methyl-9-phosphaanthracene (1b) is described. Its stability is found to be intermediate between that of the unsubstituted parent compound (1a) and of the 10- phenyl derivative (1c). The electronic structure of this new phosphaaromatic system is studied, especially by photoelectron spectroscopy. As inductive and/or conjugative effects of the substituents are shown to be of minor importance, it is concluded that mainly steric ...