Coordination complexes of acetylenic phosphines and diphosphines : V. Acetylene bridged derivatives of dicobalt octacarbonyl

Reactions of the phosphinoacetylenes RR′PCCR″ (R  R′  Ph, R″  H, CF₃, Ph, Me, t-Bu; R  R′  C₆F₅, R″  Ph, Me; R  Ph, R′  Me, R″  Me) with Co₂(CO)₈ have been studied. Complexes of four types have been characterised: (A)(RR′PC₂R″)CO₂(CO)₆ (R  R′  C₆F₅, R″  Ph, Me; R  R′  Ph, R″  t-Bu), (B) (RR′PC₂R″)₂Co₄(CO)₁₀ (R  R′  Ph, R″  H, CF₃, Ph, Me; R  R′  C₆F₅, R″  Me; R  Ph, R′  Me, R″  Me), (C) (RR′PC₂R″)₂Co₂(CO)₆ (R  R′  Ph, R″  t-Bu), (D) (RR′P(O)C₂R″)Co₂(CO)₆ (R  R′  Ph, R″  t-Bu; R  R′  C₆F₅, R  Ph). The complexes were characterised by microanalysis, IR, NMR and where possible mass spectra. Substitution reactions of the complexes with tertiary phosphites are described. In complexes of type (A) only the alkyne function is utilised whereas the tetranuclear compounds (B) have structures in which both alkyne and phosphorus moieties are coordinated. Compounds of type (C) are simple disubstituted phosphine complexes of Co₂(CO)₈ and those of type (D) are μ-alkyne derivatives of acetylenic phosphine oxides. The mechanism of formation of complexes of type (B) is discussed in the light of IR data.