The acetylenes possessing one and two 1-phospholyl groups were synthesized by reaction of the alkynyl Grignard reagents with the 1-chlorophosphole and converted to the corresponding phosphole sulfides. Reaction of the 1-phenylethynylphosphole sulfide with CpCo(CO)2 resulted in η4-complexation on the phosphole moiety. The structures of the di(1-phospholyl)acetylene disulfide and the [η4-(1-phenylethynylphosphole sulfide)]cobalt(I) complex were characterized by X-ray crystallography. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 17:344–349, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/hc.20230