Facile Synthetic Methods for the Diversification of Catena-Polyphosphorus Cations

Cationic Functionalisation by Phosphenium Ion Insertion

The reaction of [Cp'''Ni(η3 -P3 )] (1) with in situ generated phosphenium ions [RR'P]+ yields the unprecedented polyphosphorus cations of the type [Cp'''Ni(η3 -P4 R2 )][X] (R=Ph (2 a), Mes (2 b), Cy (2 c), 2,2'-biphen (2 d), Me (2 e); [X]- =[OTf]- , [SbF6 ]- , [GaCl4 ]- , [BArF ]- , [TEF]- ) and [Cp'''Ni(η3 -P4 RCl)][TEF] (R=Ph (2 f), tBu (2 g)). In the reaction of 1 with [Br2 P]+ , an analogous compound is observed only as an intermediate and the final product is an unexpected dinuclear complex [{Cp'''Ni}2 (μ,η3 :η1 :η1 -P4 Br3 )][TEF] (3 a). A similar product [{Cp'''Ni}2 (μ,η3 :η1 :η1 -P4 (2,2'-biphen)Cl)][GaCl4 ] (3 b) is obtained, when 2 d[GaCl4 ] is kept in solution for prolonged times. Although the central structural motif of 2 a-g consists of a "butterfly-like" folded P4 ring attached to a {Cp'''Ni} fragment, the structures of 3 a and 3 b exhibit a unique asymmetrically substituted and distorted P4 chain stabilised by two {Cp'''Ni} fragments. Additional DFT calculations shed light on the reaction pathway for the formation of 2 a-2 g and the bonding situation in 3 a.

P-P Condensation and P-N/P-P Bond Metathesis: Facile Synthesis of Cationic Tri- and Tetraphosphanes

[LC R P((PhP)2 C2 H4 )][OTf] (4 a,b[OTf]) and [LC iPr P(PPh2 )2 ][OTf] (5 b[OTf]) were prepared from the reaction of imidazoliumyl-substituted dipyrazolylphosphane triflate salts [LC R P(pyr)2 ][OTf] (3 a,b[OTf]; a: R=Me, b=iPr; LC R =1,3-dialkyl-4,5-dimethylimidazol-2-yl; pyr=3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-yl) with the secondary phosphanes PhP(H)C2 H4 P(H)Ph) and Ph2 PH. A stepwise double P-N/P-P bond metathesis to catena-tetraphosphane-2,3-diium triflate salt [(Ph2 P)2 (LC Me P)2 ][OTf]2 (7 a[OTf]2 ) is observed when reacting 3 a[OTf] with diphosphane P2 Ph4 . The coordination ability of 5 b[OTf] was probed with selected coinage metal salts [Cu(CH3 CN)4 ]OTf, AgOTf and AuCl(tht) (tht=tetrahydrothiophene). For AuCl(tht), the helical complex [{(Ph2 PPLC iPr )Au}4 ][OTf]4 (9[OTf]4 ) was unexpectedly formed as a result of a chloride-induced P-P bond cleavage. The weakly coordinating triflate anion enables the formation of the expected copper(I) and silver(I) complexes [(5 b)M(CH3 CN)3 ][OTf]2 (M=Cu, Ag) (10[OTf]2 , 11[OTf]2 ).

Ring Expansions of Nonpolar Polyphosphorus Rings

The reaction of the phosphinidene complex [Cp*P{W(CO)₅ }₂ ] (1 a) (Cp*=C₅ Me₅ ) with the anionic cyclo-P_n ligand complex [(η³ -P₃ )Nb(ODipp)₃ ]^- (2, Dipp=2,6-diisopropylphenyl) resulted in the formation of [{W(CO)₅ }₂ {μ₃ ,η^3:1:1 -P₄ Cp*}Nb(ODipp)₃ ]^- (3), which represents an unprecedented example of a ring expansion of a polyphosphorus-ligand complex initiated by a phosphinidene complex. Furthermore, the reaction of the pnictinidene complexes [Cp*E{W(CO)₅ }₂ ] (E=P: 1 a, As: 1 b) with the neutral complex [Cp'''Co(η⁴ -P₄ )] (Cp'''=1,2,4-tBu₃ C₅ H₂ ) led to a cyclo-P₄ E ring (E=P, As) through the insertion of the pentel atom into the cyclo-P₄ ligand. Starting from 1 a, the two isomers [Cp'''Co(μ₃ ,η^4:1:1 -P₅ Cp*){W(CO)₅ }₂ ] (5 a,b), and from 1 b, the three isomers [Cp'''Co(μ₃ ,η^4:1:1 -AsP₄ Cp*){W(CO)₅ }₂ ] (6 a-c) with unprecedented cyclo-P₄ E ligands (E=P, As) were isolated. The complexes 6 a-c represent unique examples of ring expansions which lead to new mixed five-membered cyclo-P₄ As ligands. The possible reaction pathways for the formation of 5 a,b and 6 a-c were investigated by a combination of temperature-dependent ³¹ P{¹ H} NMR studies and DFT calculations.

Phosphorus(III) cations supported by a PNP pincer ligand and sub-stoichiometric generation of P4 from thermolysis of a nickel insertion product

Neutral, mono-, and dicationic phosphorus(III) compounds are accessible with a supporting PNP pincer ligand (PNP = [4-Me-2-iPr(2)P-C(6)H(3))(2)N]). Reaction of (PNP)H with PCl(3) and nBu(3)N furnished (PNP)PCl(2) (1), which displays a highly temperature-dependent structure in solution. Synthesis and characterization by NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography of Cl/Br-scrambled derivatives, a monocationic derivative [(PNP)PCl][HCB(11)H(11)] (4), and the dicationic derivatives [(PNP)P][OTf](2) (5), [(PNP)P][B(C(6)F(5))(4)](2) (6), [(PNP)P][B(12)Cl(12)] (7) established that 1 not only undergoes several fluxional processes in solution but also possesses a temperature-dependent ground state structure. Reaction of 1 with a Ni(0) source initially leads to a phosphine-phosphinidene complex, followed by thermal generation of P(4).

catena-phosphorus cations

Recent advances towards a systematic development of catena-phosphorus cations are reviewed. The cations represented in this new and developing chapter in fundamental phosphorus chemistry complement the series of neutral and anionic polyphosphorus compounds.

Cationic P-S-X cages (X=Br, I)

The first condensed-phase preparation of ternary P-Ch-X cations (Ch=O-Te, X=F-I) is reported: [P5S3X2]+, [P5S2X2]+, and [P4S4X]+ (X=Br, I). [P5S3X2]+ is formed from the reaction of the Ag+/PX3 reagent with P4S3. The [P5S3X2]+ ions have a structure that is related to P4S5 by replacing P=S by P+--X and S in the four-membered ring by P(X). We provide evidence that the active ingredient of the Ag+/PX3 reagent is the (H2CCl2)Ag-X-PX2+ cation. The latter likely reacts with the HOMO of P4S3 in a concerted HOMO-LUMO addition to give the P5S3X2+ ion as the first species visible in situ in the low-temperature 31P NMR spectrum. The [P5S3X2]+ ions are metastable at -78 degrees C and disproportionate at slightly higher temperatures to give [P5S2X2]+ and [P4S4X]+, probably with the extrusion of 1/n (PX)n (X=Br, I). All six new cage compounds have been characterized by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy and, in part, by IR or Raman spectroscopy. The [P5S2X2]+ salts have a nortricyclane skeleton and were also characterized by X-ray crystallography. The structure of the [P4S4X]+ ion is related to that of P4S5 in that the exo-cage P=S bond is replaced by an isoelectronic P+--X moiety.

Reactivity of cyclooligophosphanes: synthesis and structural characterisation of cyclo-1,4-(BH3)2(P4Ph4CH2) and cyclo-1,2-(BH3)2(P5Ph5)

The borane complexes cyclo-1,4-(BH3)2(P4Ph4CH2) (3) and cyclo-1,2-(BH3)2(P5Ph5) (4) were prepared by reaction of cyclo-(P4Ph4CH2) and cyclo-(P5Ph5) with BH3(SMe2). Only the 2:1 complexes 3 and 4 were isolated, even when an excess of the borane source was used. In solution, 3 exists as a mixture of the two diastereomers (R(P)*,S(P)*,S(P)*,R(P)*)-(+/-)-3 and (R(P)*,R(P)*,R(P)*,R(P)*)-(+/-)-3. However, in the solid state the (R(P)*,S(P)*,S(P)*,R(P)*)-(+/-) diastereomer is the major stereoisomer. Similarly, while only one isomer of 4 is observed in its X-ray structure, NMR spectroscopic investigations reveal that it forms a complex mixture of isomers in solution. 3 may be deprotonated with tBuLi to give the lithium salt cyclo-1,4-(BH3)2(P4Ph4CHLi) (3 x Li), though this could not be isolated in pure form.