Tertiary phosphine compound and transition metal complex comprising the

Abstract

A tertiary phosphine compound of the formula (1): ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 represent independently from each other a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, or together form --CH.dbd.CH--CH.dbd.CH--; R.sup.3 is a hydrogen atom or a cycloalkyl group having 5 to 7 carbon atoms or a lower alkyl group which may be substituted with a halogen atom, a lower alkoxy group, a lower alkoxyalkoxy group or a phenyl group; X.sup.1 is a halogen atom when both R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are hydrogen atoms, or a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a lower alkyl group or a lower alkoxy group when at least one of R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 is not a hydrogen atoms; and m is an integer of 1 to 5, which is useful as a ligand of a transition metal complex that can catalyze various reactions.