| Abstract: | The reaction of either Li2PPh or Li2AsPh with the diborane(4) derivative B2(NMe2)2Br2 affords the compounds [PhP(BNMe2)2]2 ( 1 ) or [PhAs(BNMe2)2]2 ( 2 ) in good yield. Both 1 and 2 have cyclic structures featuring non-planar P2B4 or As2B4 six-membered rings which have chair configurations. Although all four borons in each ring have planar coordination, the two phosphorus or arsenic centers have different degrees of pyramidalization. Bond distances within the rings indicate that the B? B, B? P or B? As bonds are single, whereas the exo-B? N bond lengths are consistent with significant π-bonding. The ring structures of 1 and 2 are in sharp contrast to the related boron-nitrogen species (t-BuN)2N4Me4 which has a nido-N2B4 framework. The attempted synthesis of the nitrogen analogue of 1 or 2 by using a similar approach did not result in the isolation of [PhN(BNMe2)2]2, instead the tetramino diborane(4) species [B(NMe2)NHPh]2 ( 3 ), which has a structure similar to other tetramine diborane(4) compounds, was isolated. |
