METALLAPHOSPHENES AND DIPHOSPHENES

Abstract

Transient metallaphosphenes (rbnd2;Mdbnd]Psbnd]) have been obtained by exchange reactions between disilylphosphines and organometaldihalides (M = Ge, Sn), or by thermolysis of 2-metallaphosphetanes (M = Si, Ge). They are characterized by trapping reactions with strained heterocycles. The first stable germaphosphene 12 has been synthesized by dehydrohalogenation from the parent halogermylphosphine and isolated in form of orange crystals. It is very reactive toward compounds with active hydrogen.

Transient diphosphenes (sbnd]Pdbnd]Psbnd]) have been prepared by the same type of exchange reactions between disilylphosphines and dichlorophosphines and characterized by trapping reactions on dienes. The second stable diphosphene 18 has been obtained by addition of t-BuLi on trisyldichlorophosphine. Its structure has been determined by X-ray diffraction and some aspects of its reactivity are described. The reaction of bisyltrichlorogermylphosphine with DBU affords the new stable and potentially reactive diphosphene 30.