Zinc complexes of anionic NPPN and NP(S)PN ligands and rearrangement to the isomeric NPNP and NP(S)NP ligands in mercury complexes

The lithium (imido)diphosphineimide Li(Et2O)DippNPhP-P((n)Bu)PhNDipp] (1) (Dipp = 2,6-(i)Pr2C6H3) undergoes simple metathesis reactions with equimolar amounts of zinc halides, ZnCl2 and (t)BuZnBr, to give the respective N,N'-chelated complexes {Zn(micro-Cl)DippNPhP-P((n)Bu)PhNDipp]}2 (2) and (t)BuZnNDippPhP-P((n)Bu)PhNDipp] (3). In contrast, the reaction of two equivalents of complex 1 with HgCl2 affords the rearranged bis(imidodiphosphinoamine) complex, HgPhP(double bond, length as m-dash]NDipp)(micro-NDipp)P((n)Bu)Ph]2 (4), where the ligand acts as a P-centered anion. The (imido)diphosphineimide backbone of remains intact on oxidation with elemental sulfur to afford the lithium (imido)diphosphineimine sulfide complex, Li(Et2O)DippNPhP(S)-P((n)Bu)PhNDipp] (6). Reactions of 6 with group 12 metal halides show similar behaviour to those of complex 1. The N,N' chelated metathesis products RZnDippNPhP(S)-P((n)Bu)PhNDipp] (7, R = Cl; 8, R = (t)Bu) are obtained on reaction with ZnCl2 and (t)BuZnBr, respectively. Isomerization of the ligand backbone occurs on reaction of 6 with HgCl2 to form the homoleptic P,S-chelated mercury complex HgPh(S)P(=NDipp)(micro-NDipp)P((n)Bu)Ph]2 (9). Complexes 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 and 9 have been characterized by X-ray crystallography.