text: The first of preparation of a phosphaalkyne was achieved in 1961 when Thurman Gier produced phosphaethyne by passing phosphine gas at low pressure over an electric arc produced between two carbon electrodes. Condensation of the gaseous products in a –196 °C (–321 °F) trap revealed that the reaction had produced acetylene, ethylene, phosphaethyne, which was identified by infrared spectroscopy.