How are phosphine and metal phosphides related?

Phosphine ($P{H}_3$) and metal phosphides are chemically related through their shared composition of phosphorus and their roles in synthesis and reactivity.

The relationship is defined by several key interactions:

• Production: Phosphine can be produced through the hydrolysis of metal phosphides, such as the reaction of water with calcium phosphide ($C{a}_3{P}_2$).12
• Synthesis: Conversely, phosphine can be used as a reactant to prepare certain metal phosphides through chemical reactions with metals or metal compounds.3
• Classification: While metal phosphides are compounds where phosphorus is combined with a metal, phosphine is a gaseous hydrogen phosphide. In chemical nomenclature, metal salts of phosphine are referred to as phosphides.1

These compounds are significant in various industrial applications, with phosphine serving as a starting material for organic phosphorus compounds and metal phosphides exhibiting diverse physical properties ranging from metallic to ionic.32