P−P Condensation and P−N/P−P Bond Metathesis: Facile Synthesis of Cationic Tri‐ and Tetraphosphanes

[L_C^RP((PhP)₂C₂H₄)][OTf] ( 4 a,b [OTf]) and [L_C^iPrP(PPh₂)₂][OTf] ( 5 b [OTf]) were prepared from the reaction of imidazoliumyl‐substituted dipyrazolylphosphane triflate salts [L_C^RP(pyr)₂][OTf] ( 3 a,b [OTf]; a : R=Me, b =iPr; L_C^R=1,3‐dialkyl‐4,5‐dimethylimidazol‐2‐yl; pyr=3,5‐dimethylpyrazol‐1‐yl) with the secondary phosphanes PhP(H)C₂H₄P(H)Ph) and Ph₂PH. A stepwise double P?N/P?P bond metathesis to catena‐tetraphosphane‐2,3‐diium triflate salt [(Ph₂P)₂(L_C^MeP)₂][OTf]₂ ( 7 a [OTf]₂) is observed when reacting 3 a [OTf] with diphosphane P₂Ph₄. The coordination ability of 5 b [OTf] was probed with selected coinage metal salts [Cu(CH₃CN)₄]OTf, AgOTf and AuCl(tht) (tht=tetrahydrothiophene). For AuCl(tht), the helical complex [{(Ph₂PPL_C^iPr)Au}₄][OTf]₄ ( 9 [OTf]₄) was unexpectedly formed as a result of a chloride‐induced P?P bond cleavage. The weakly coordinating triflate anion enables the formation of the expected copper(I) and silver(I) complexes [( 5 b )M(CH₃CN)₃][OTf]₂ (M=Cu, Ag) ( 10 [OTf]₂, 11 [OTf]₂).     

P−P Condensation and P−N/P−P Bond Metathesis: Facile Synthesis of Cationic Tri- and Tetraphosphanes

[L_C^RP((PhP)₂C₂H₄)][OTf] ( 4 a,b [OTf]) and [L_C^iPrP(PPh₂)₂][OTf] ( 5 b [OTf]) were prepared from the reaction of imidazoliumyl-substituted dipyrazolylphosphane triflate salts [L_C^RP(pyr)₂][OTf] ( 3 a,b [OTf]; a : R=Me, b =iPr; L_C^R=1,3-dialkyl-4,5-dimethylimidazol-2-yl; pyr=3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-yl) with the secondary phosphanes PhP(H)C₂H₄P(H)Ph) and Ph₂PH. A stepwise double P−N/P−P bond metathesis to catena-tetraphosphane-2,3-diium triflate salt [(Ph₂P)₂(L_C^MeP)₂][OTf]₂ ( 7 a [OTf]₂) is observed when reacting 3 a [OTf] with diphosphane P₂Ph₄. The coordination ability of 5 b [OTf] was probed with selected coinage metal salts [Cu(CH₃CN)₄]OTf, AgOTf and AuCl(tht) (tht=tetrahydrothiophene). For AuCl(tht), the helical complex [{(Ph₂PPL_C^iPr)Au}₄][OTf]₄ ( 9 [OTf]₄) was unexpectedly formed as a result of a chloride-induced P−P bond cleavage. The weakly coordinating triflate anion enables the formation of the expected copper(I) and silver(I) complexes [( 5 b )M(CH₃CN)₃][OTf]₂ (M=Cu, Ag) ( 10 [OTf]₂, 11 [OTf]₂).