Phosphonium Salts of 1,8‐Bis(diphenylphosphino)naphthalene: Molecular Structures and NMR‐spectroscopic Studies

A representative series of diphosphine monophosphonium salts [1‐Ph₂P(C₁₀H₆)‐8‐PRPh₂]⁺X^– ( 2 b : R = H, X = CF₃SO₃; 4 : R = Me, X = CF₃SO₃; 5 : R = C₆H₅CH₂ = Bn, X = Br) has been prepared by treatment of 1,8‐bis(diphenylphosphino)naphthalene (dppn, 1 ) with stoichiometric amounts of HSO₃CF₃ or CH₃SO₃CF₃ in CH₂Cl₂ at +20 °C and with C₆H₅CH₂Br in toluene at +80 °C. Their X‐ray crystal structures show that there is no evidence for dative P → P⁺ interactions. Instead, steric repulsion deflects the substituent groups to opposite faces of the naphthalene plane [splay angles: +11.4° ( 2 b ), +13.6° ( 4 ); +16.7° ( 5 )]. In solution 2 b , 4 , and 5 were dynamic according to ³¹P, ¹³C, and ¹H NMR spectroscopy. The fluxionality of 2 b involves rapid intramolecular proton exchange between the two phosphorus atoms, which slows down at low temperature, whereas the dynamic behaviour of 4 and 5 is interpreted in terms of hindered rotation of the bulky RPh₂P⁺ groups (R = Me or Bn) about the P–C(naphthyl) bond. Treatment of 1,8‐bis(diphenylphosphoryl)naphthalene (dppnO₂, 6 ) with HSO₃CF₃ gave the protonated bis(phosphine oxide), as the triflate salt, dppnO₂H⁺ CF₃SO₃^– ( 7 ). The X‐ray structure analysis of 7 revealed a highly strained molecule (P1…P2 365.5 pm) in which the P=O bonds point to the same face of the naphthalene plane to accommodate the proton. All isolated compounds were characterised by a combination of ³¹P, ¹H, and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy, IR spectroscopy ( 7 ), mass spectrometry and elemental analysis.