I could have sworn that sickly sweet smell was the smell of various phosphine reagents? Just my vague recollection of my time in lab from 15 years ago.
Phosphines, for me, were either odorless (for heavy ligand like things like triphenylphosphine) or absolutely rancid fishy mixed with a burnt chemical note. thankfully I never inhaled too many of the light organophosphines, they aren't too healthy...