Chemistry of λ-2H-azaphosphirene metal complexes

In this review, important aspects of λ³-2H-azaphosphirene metal complexes are discussed in relation to synthesis, physical properties and synthetic applications; ab-initio calculations on relative energies of CH₂NP isomers and of λ³-2H-azaphosphirene metal complexes (Cr, Mo, W) are also presented. Currently, there are three routes to this unsaturated three-membered ring system, which are discussed in detail: two of them use a rearrangement of metal carbene complexes, whereas the other relies on [2+1] cycloaddition reactions of electrophilic terminal phosphanediyl complexes and carbonitriles. The structural data show characteristics of a very strained heterocyclic ring system, which partially helps to understand the reactivity of this heterocycle complex in solution. The synthetic potential of λ³-2H-azaphosphirene metal complexes is illustrated by selected examples, which demonstrate their ability to serve, under very mild conditions as precursor for various new building blocks, i.e. nitrilium phosphanylide complexes, electrophilic terminal phosphanediyl complexes and phosphavinyl-nitrene complexes.