The resonance Raman excitation profile (RREP) of the bis[2,6-di(m-xylyl)phenyl]P-2 diphosphene (DxpP=PDxp) in CDCl3 was measured in the region of overlap between the pi-pi* (368 nm) and n(+)-pi* (459 nm) UV/visible electronic absorption bands. The P=P stretch (622 cm(-1)) was enhanced much more strongly in resonance with the allowed pi-pi* than with the symmetry-forbidden n(+)-pi*. The observed differences are attributed to differences in the geometries of the excited states and to the different mechanisms of enhancement for resonance with allowed and forbidden electronic absorptions. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.