Heterofunctionalized phosphines derived from (2-formylphenyl)diphenylphosphine and their reactions with oxorhenium(V) complexes

Reactions of [ReOCl₃(PPh₃)₂] with a potentially tridentate Schiff base derived from (2-formylphenyl)diphenylphosphine and 2-aminophenol, HL¹P, (HL¹P = Ph₂PC₆H₄-2-HCN(C₆H₄-2-OH)) result in a rapid decomposition of the Schiff base and the formation of a large number of hitherto non-identified metal-containing species, while from similar reactions with the analogoue phosphine oxide HL¹PO, (HL¹PO = Ph₂P(O)C₆H₄-2-HCN(C₆H₄-2-OH)) products of the compositions [ReOCl₂(PPh₃)(L¹PO)] (1) and [Re(NC₆H₄-2-OH)Cl₃(PPh₃)₂] (2) could be isolated. The structure of 2 is an experimental proof of the preceding, metal-induced cleavage of the C–N double bond. A subsequent reaction of the released 2-aminophenol forms the final phenylimido ligand.Reduction of HL¹P with NaBH₄ gives the phosphine amine H₂L²P (H₂L² = Ph₂P(C₆H₄-2-CH₂NH(C₆H₄-2-OH))) in good yield. Reactions of H₂L²P with common oxorhenium(V) complexes result in the formation of the stable rhenium(V) complex [ReOCl₂(HL²P)] (3) with a facially coordinated HL²P^? ligand.