Abstract A new and possibly general route to the hitherto relatively inaccessible simple substituted phosphindoles, utilizing the extreme readiness of simple phosphole sulfides to undergo Diels-Alder dimerization, is described. The synthesis reported here is that of 3, 6- dimethyl-l-phenylphosphin-dole sulfide which is prepared in good yield in two simple steps from the readily available 3-methyl-l-phenylphosphole.
