Phosphorus-carbon(pyridyl) bond cleavage on reacting diphenyl-2-pyridylphosphine with triiron dodecacarbonyl

► Carbonyl-iron complex as activator of pyridylphosphine substrate. ► Thermal treatment of diphenyl-2-pyridylphosphine with triiron dodecarbonyl. ► Phosphorus-carbon(pyridyl) bond cleavage to give phosphido-, pyridyl-bridging groups.