Low temperature isolation of a dinuclear silver complex of the cyclotetraphosphane [ClP(μ-PMes*)]2

The reaction of the cyclotetraphosphane [ClP(μ-PMes*)]2 (1, Mes* = 2,4,6-tri-tert-butylphenyl) with Ag[Al(ORF)4] (RF = CH(CF3)2) resulted in a labile, dinuclear silver complex of 1, which eliminates AgCl above −30 °C. Its properties were investigated by spectroscopic methods, single crystal X-ray diffraction and DFT calculations

Parahydrogen-induced polarization with a metal-free P–P biradicaloid

Metal-free H2 activations are unusual but interesting for catalytic transformations, particularly in parahydrogen-based nuclear spin hyperpolarization techniques. We demonstrate that metal-free singlet phosphorus biradicaloid, [P(μ-NTer)]2, provides pronounced 1H and 31P hyperpolarization while activating the parahydrogen molecules. A brief analysis of the resulting NMR signals and the important kinetic parameters are presented

Azadiphosphaindane-1,3-diyls: A Class of Resonance-Stabilized Biradicals

Conversion of 1,2-bis(dichlorophosphino)benzene with sterically demanding primary amines led to the formation of 1,3-dichloro-2-aza-1,3-diphosphaindanes of the type C6H4(μ-PCl)2N-R. Reduction yielded the corresponding 2-aza-1,3-diphosphaindane-1,3-diyls (1), which can be described as phosphorus-centered singlet biradical(oid)s. Their stability depends on the size of the substituent R: While derivatives with R=Dmp (2,6-dimethylphenyl) or Ter (2,6-dimesitylphenyl) underwent oligomerization, the derivative with very bulky R=tBuBhp (2,6-bis(benzhydryl)-4-tert-butylphenyl) was stable with respect to oligomerization in its monomeric form. Oligomerization involved activation of the fused benzene ring by a second equivalent of the monomeric biradical and can be regarded as formal [2+2] (poly)addition reaction. Calculations indicate that the biradical character in 1 is comparable with literature-known P-centered biradicals. Ring-current calculations show aromaticity within the entire ring system of 1. © 2020 The Authors. Angewandte Chemie International Edition published by Wiley-VCH Gmb

Synthetic strategies to bicyclic tetraphosphanes using P1, P2 and P4 building blocks

Different reactions of Mes* substituted phosphanes (Mes* = 2,4,6-tri-tert-butylphenyl) led to the formation of the bicyclic tetraphosphane Mes*P4Mes* (5) and its unknown Lewis acid adduct 5·GaCl3. In this context, the endo–exo isomer of 5 was fully characterized for the first time. The synthesis was achieved by reactions involving “self-assembly” of the P4 scaffold from P1 building blocks (i.e. primary phosphanes) or by reactions starting from P2 or P4 scaffolds (i.e. a diphosphene or cyclic tetraphosphane). Furthermore, interconversion between the exo–exo and endo–exo isomer were studied by 31P NMR spectroscopy. All compounds were fully characterized by experimental as well as computational methods

Synthese und Charakterisierung zyklischer Polyphosphane

The synthesis and reactivity of the novel cyclotetraphosphane [ClP(μ-PMes*)]2 were studied. The cyclophosphane proved to be a versatile reagent in phosphorus chemistry, since its Cl-functionalised P4 backbone could be used as a building block in a variety of reactions with Lewis acids, bases as well as reducing agents. The rearrangement of P−P bonds as well as a 1,2-Cl shift were identified as common reaction pathways to stabilise the products. All synthesised compounds were fully characterised, including experimental and theoretical methods.Die Synthese und Reaktivität des neuartigen Cyclotetraphoshans [ClP(μ-PMes*)]2 wurden untersucht. Das Cyclophosphan stellte sich als vielseitiges Reagenz in der Phosphorchemie heraus, da sein Cl-funktionalisiertes P4-Rückgrat als Baustein in einer Vielzahl von Reaktionen mit Lewis-Säuren und -Basen sowie Reduktionsmitteln Anwendung finden konnte. Die Umlagerung von P–P-Bindungen sowie eine 1,2-Cl-Umlagerung wurden als typische Reaktionspfade zur Stabilisierung der Produkte identifiziert. Alle hergestellten Verbindungen wurden vollständig charakterisiert

Aryl-substituted Triarsiranes: Synthesis and Reactivity

Cyclotriarsanes are rare and limited synthetic approaches have hampered reactivity studies on these systems. Described in here is a scalable synthetic protocol towards (AsAr)3 (Ar = Dip, 2,6-iPr2-C6H3; Tip, 2,4,6-iPr3-C6H2), which allowed to study their reactivity towards [Cp2Ti(C2(SiMe3)2], affording titanocene diarsene complexes and towards N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) to give straightforward access to a variety of NHC-arsinidene adducts. The electronic structure of the titanium diarsene complxes has been studied and they are best described as Ti(IV) species with a doubly reduced As2Ar2 ligand. These findings will make (AsAr)3 valuable precursors in the synthetic inorganic and organic chemistry

Trimethylsilyl Pseudohalide Adducts of GaCl3 and B(C6F5)3

Me3Si−X (X=CN, N3, OCN, and SCN) was treated with the Lewis acids GaCl3 and B(C6F5)3 in toluene yielding the desired adducts Me3Si−X→GaCl3 and Me3Si−X→B(C6F5)3. All synthesized adducts were isolated and completely characterized including single crystal structure elucidations. The different structures, thermodynamics of formation and charge transfer effects are discussed on the basis of experimental and theoretical data

A Systematic Survey of the Reactivity of Chlorinated N2P2, NP3 and P4 Ring Systems

The reactivity of the four-membered NP3 ring system [RN(μ-PCl)2PR] (R=Mes*=2,4,6-tri-tert-butylphenyl) towards Lewis acids, Lewis bases, and reducing agents was investigated. Comparisons with the literature-known, analogous cyclic compounds [ClP(μ-NR)]2 (R=Ter=2,6-dimesitylphenyl) and [ClP(μ-PR)]2 (R=Mes*) are drawn, to obtain a better systematic understanding of the reactivity of cyclic NP species. Apart from experimental results, DFT computations are discussed to further the insight into bonding and electronic structure of these compounds. © 2019 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA

A chemical reaction controlled by light-activated molecular switches based on heterocyclopentanediyls

Molecular switches are molecules that can reversibly be shifted between at least two stable states with different physical and chemical properties, making them interesting for application as chemical sensors or molecular machines. We recently discovered that five-membered, cyclic biradicals based on group 15 elements are efficient and robust photochemical switches that can be activated by red light. The quantum yield of the photo-isomerization is as high as 24.6%, and the thermal equilibration of the photo-activation product proceeds rapidly at ambient temperature. The fully reversible process was studied by experimental and high-level ab initio techniques. We could further demonstrate that the biradical character could be completely turned on and off, so the system could be applied to control chemical equilibria that involve activation products of the cyclic biradicals. © 2019 The Royal Society of Chemistry