New synthetic route to polyphosphine ligands bearing 1,2,4,5-tetrakis(phosphino)benzene framework: structural characterizations of 1,4-(PPh2)2-2,5-(PR2)2-C6F2 (R = Ph, Pr, Et)

Reactions of 1,4-dibromo-2,5-difluorobenzene with two equivalents of lithium diisopropylamide at low temperature (T < −90 °C) followed by a quench with a slight excess of ClPPh₂ afford 1,4-dibromo-2,5-bis(diphenylphosphino)-3,6-difluorobenzene (1) in good yields. Reacting 1 with two equivalents of BuLi followed by a quench with a slight excess of ClPR₂ yield novel 1,2,4,5-tetrakis(phosphino)-3,6-difluorobenzenes 1,4-(PPh₂)₂-2,5-(PR₂)₂-C₆F₂ (R = Ph (2a); R = ⁱPr (2b); R = Et (2c)) in moderate yields. Compounds 1 and 2a-c were characterized by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy and elemental analyses. In addition, molecular structures of 2a-c have been determined by single crystal X-ray crystallography. Phosphorus atoms of PPh₂/PR₂ substituents in 2a-c are displaced from the plane of the central phenyl ring due to steric interactions with neighboring groups.     

1,4-Bis(phosphine)-2,5-difluoro-3,6-dihydroxybenzenes and their P-oxides: Syntheses, structures, ligating and electronic properties

Reactions of 1,4-difluoro-2,5-dimethoxybenzene with LDA (1:2) at low temperatures generated organodilithio intermediates; quenching the reaction mixtures with chlorophosphines ClPR₂ produced 1,4-bis(phosphino)-2,5-difluoro-3,6-dimethoxybenzenes 1a (R = Ph) and 1b (R = iPr). Demethylation of 1a–b was accomplished by BBr₃, yielding bis(phosphino)hydroquinones 2a–b. Treating 2a–b with excess hydrogen peroxide produced bis(phosphinyl)hydroquinones 3a–b. The binucleating properties of 2a were established by the formation of a bimetallic nickel complex upon reaction with Ph₂Ni(PMe₃)₂. Electrochemical activity of hydroquinones 2a–b and 3a–b was examined by cyclic voltammetry. In addition, compounds 2a, 3a and 3b were obtained in crystalline form and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The influence of the fluorine substituents on the composition of the frontier orbitals of 2a and 3a was examined by computational methods.     

New binucleating ligand with two [P,S] chelation pockets on a single phenyl ring: Syntheses and X-ray structures of 1,4-bis(diphenylphosphino)-2,5-difluoro-3,6-bis(methylthio)benzene and of bimetallic complex (CO)3Fe(μ-[(PPh2)(SMe)C6F2(SMe)(PPh2)])Fe(CO)3

Double deprotonations of 1,4-dibromo-2,5-difluorobenzene with LDA (2 equiv., T < −90 °C) generate a reasonably stable organodilithium intermediate. Quenching this reaction mixture with chlorophosphines ClPR₂ produce p-bis(phosphino)benzenes R₂P-C₆Br₂F₂-PR₂ (R = Ph, 4a; R = ⁱPr, 4b). Facile lithium-bromine exchange occurs upon exposure of 4a to BuLi (2 equiv., −80 °C), leading to the generation of another organodilithium intermediate. Addition of MeS-SMe (2 equiv.) to such reaction mixtures gives 1,4-bis(diphenylphosphino)-2,5-difluoro-3,6-bis(methylthio)benzene (2). Compound 2 is the first example of a neutral binucleating ligand featuring the [P,S] chelating sites on the opposite sides of a single phenyl ring. Compound 4b does not undergo the analogous transformation when subjected to the same conditions (2BuLi/2MeS-SMe). Addition of 2 to Fe(CO)₅/2(Me₃NO · 2H₂O) reaction mixtures led to the isolation of the bimetallic complex {(CO)₃Fe[P,S]-C₆F₂-[P,S]Fe(CO)₃} (3), ([P,S] represents the chelating pockets formed by adjacent -PPh₂ and -SMe groups). All of the new compounds were characterized by spectroscopic and analytical techniques (multinuclear NMR, mass-spectrometry, and/or elemental analysis). In addition, compounds 2 and 3 were characterized via single crystal X-ray diffraction methods.