Chalcogenation reactions of a stable ferrocenyldiphosphene: Formation of thia‐, selena‐, and telluradiphosphiranes

The reactions of TbtPPTbt (Tbt = 2,4,6‐tris[bis(trimethylsilyl)methyl]phenyl) with elemental sulfur and selenium in the presence of triethylamine resulted in the formation of the corresponding thia‐ and selenadiphosphiranes in 71% and 65%, respectively, whereas the tellurization reaction was unsuccessful probably due to the steric reason. On the other hand, treatment of TbtPPFc (Fc = ferrocenyl) with elemental sulfur, selenium, and tributylphosphine telluride afforded the corresponding thia‐, selena‐, and telluradiphosphiranes in 84%, 88%, and 66% yields, respectively. The molecular structures of these three‐membered heterocyclic compounds were confirmed by spectroscopic analysis. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 19:443–449, 2008; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/hc.20449