Bulky alky diphosphines of the type - have been at the heart of many key developments in transition metal chemistry over the last 25 years including the stabilisation of unusual oxidaton states and low coordination numbers, formation of agostic alkyls,activation of C-H and C-C bonds, 3,4 and preparation of polyhydride complexes. 1,3,5 Recently bulky alkyl diphosphine complexes of palladium have attraction.7 We report here a simple route to a new class of very bulky alkyl diphosphines which are air-stable