Abstract: | Novel bis(imidazole‐2‐thion‐4‐yl)‐ phosphanes ( 2a–d ) were synthesized via lithiation of the precursor imidazole‐2‐thiones followed by the phosphanylation reaction. Oxidation of bis(imidazole‐2‐thion‐4‐yl)phosphane 2b–d with elemental sulfur and selenium led selectively and in good yields to the P‐thio ( 3b–d ) and P‐seleno ( 4c ) derivatives of bis(imidazole‐2‐thion‐4‐yl)phosphanes, respectively. The treatment of 2a,c with phosphorus trichloride gives the corresponding P‐chloro derivatives 5a,c . These compounds were unambiguously characterized by elemental analyses, spectroscopic and spectrometric methods, in addition by single‐crystal X‐ray structure analysis in the case of 2d . © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 00:1–7, 2012; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com . DOI 10.1002/hc.21043 |