A comparison of the three isostructural homoleptic lanthanide phosphide species Ln[(mu-(PBu2)-Bu-t)(2)Li(thf)](2) [Ln = Yb (1), Eu (2), Sm (3)] is reported. Eu(OSO2CF3)(3) reacts with 5 equiv of (LiPBu2)-Bu-t in tetrahydrofuran to give the europium complex Eu[(mu-(PBu2)-Bu-t)(2)Li(thf)](2) (2) in 50% yield plus 0.5 equiv of (Bu2P)-Bu-t-(PBu2)-Bu-t. 2 crystallizes in space group P2(1)/c. Crystal data for 2 at 248 K : a = 21.740(3) Angstrom, b = 12.345(1) Angstrom, c = 20.633(2) Angstrom, beta = 109.13(1)degrees; V = 5231.5(10) Angstrom(3); Z = 4; D-calcd = 1.131 g cm(-3); R-F = 3.29%. The molecular structure shows the four-coordinate europium atom in a distorted tetrahedral environment. A main feature of the crystal structure of 2 is the shortest Eu-P distance [3.034(1) Angstrom] of divalent europium reported so far. A (EU)-E-151 Mossbauer spectrum at 4.2 K is reported exhibiting an isomer shift of -11.7 mm/s.