Phosphasila-, phosphagerma-, and phosphaarsaallenes --P=C=E (E = Si,Ge, As) and arsa- and diarsaallenes --As=C=E" (E" = C,As)

The paper reviews the contribution from our group to the studies of heteroallenes. The transient 1,3-phosphasilaallene ArP=C=Si(Ph)Tip (Ar = 2,4,6-tri-tert-butylphenyl, Tip = 2,4,6-triisopropylphenyl) and 1,3-phosphagermaallene ArP=C=GeMes₂ (Mes = 2,4,6-trimethylphenyl) were characterized below –40 °C by NMR spectroscopy and chemical trapping. These compounds dimerize above –40 °C through two routes. With increased steric hindrance on germanium, the phosphagermaallene ArP=C=Ge(Bu^t)Tip was stabilized as monomer at room temperature. 3-Chloro-2-lithio-1,3-phosphasilapropene ArP=C(Li)Si(Cl)CMeR₂ (CMeR₂ = 9-methylfluorenyl) behaves, at least in some cases, as a synthetic equivalent of the functionalizable allene ArP=C=Si(Cl)CMeR₂. Arsaallene ArAs=C=CR₂, phosphaarsaallenes ArP=C=AsAr and ArP=C=AsDmt (Dmt = 2,6-dimesityl-4-methylphenyl), and diarsaallene ArAs=C=AsAr exhibit a higher thermal, air, and moisture stability than the above phosphasilaallenes and phosphagermaallenes. The physicochemical data for the arsaallenes and diarsaallenes, particularly, their X-ray structural parameters, display a bonding system close to allenes. On going down the Periodic table, the stabilization becomes more difficult. For this reason, tin allenic derivatives are very rare and antimony allenic compounds have not yet been isolated.