Synthesis and crystal structures of [Ph(3)PCH(2)PPh(3)]I(2) di­chloro­methane disolvate and [Ph(3)PCH(2)PPh(3)](BI(4))(2)

Reaction of BI(3) with carbodi­phospho­rane, C(PPh(3))(2), gives a mixture of the dicationic compounds, methyl­enebis(tri­phenyl­phospho­nium) diiodide di­chloro­methane disolvate, C(37)H(32)P(2) (2+)·2I(−)·2CH(2)Cl(2) or [Ph(3)PCH(2)PPh(3)]I(2)·2CH(2)Cl(2) (I), methyl­enebis(tri­phenyl­phospho­nium) bis­(tetra­iodo­borate), C(37)H(32)P(2) (2+)·2BI(4) (−) or [Ph(3)PCH(2)PPh(3)](BI(4))(2) (II). Solvents are the source of the protons at the ylidic C atom. The P—C—P angle is 124.1 (2)° for (I) and 121.7 (3)° for (II), while the two P—C bond lengths are 1.804 (4) and 1.807 (5) Å in (I), and 1.817 (5) and 1.829 (5) Å in (II). In the crystal of (I), the protons of the central P—CH(2)—P C atom exhibit weak C—H⋯I hydrogen bonds with the respective anions. The anions in turn are linked to the di­chloro­methane solvent mol­ecules by C—H⋯I hydrogen bonds. In the crystal of (II), one of the BI(4) (−) anions is linked to a phenyl H atom via a weak C—H⋯I hydrogen bond.