α‐Tetraphosphorus Trichalcogenide Diamides and Imides containing both Sulfur and Selenium

Reaction of a mixture of bicyclic phosphorus sulfide selenide iodides α‐P₄S_nSe_3?nI₂ (n = 0–3) with PrⁱNH₂ and Et₃N gave corresponding diamides α‐P₄S_nSe_3?n(NHPrⁱ)₂ (n = 0–3) and imides α‐P₄S_nSe_3?n(μ‐NPrⁱ) (n = 2–3), identified in solution by ³¹P NMR. In one isomer of α‐P₄S₂Se(μ‐NPrⁱ), the C₂ symmetry of imides such as α‐P₄S₃(μ‐NPrⁱ) was broken, allowing relative assignment of ²J NMR couplings to the PNP bridge and the PSP bridge opposite to it. The coupling through the sulfur bridge was found to be reduced to ca. zero, in contrast to previous assumptions for this class of compounds. Ab initio models were calculated at the MPW1PW91/svp level for the sulfide selenide imides and for a selection of bond rotamers of the diamides, and at the MPW1PW91/LanL2DZ(d) level for the sulfide selenide diiodides. Different skeletal isomers were prevalent for the mixed chalcogenide diamides than for the diiodides, showing that exchange of chalcogen between skeletal positions took place in the amination reaction even at room temperature. Similar differences to those observed were predicted by the models, suggesting that equilibrium was attained.