(Phosphino)(aryl)carbenes: effect of aryl substituents on their stabilization mode

A broad range of (phosphino)(aryl)carbenes, 1b-d, 10a,b, and 14a,b, were prepared by photolysis of their diazo precursors. The influence of the steric and electronic properties of the aryl ring on the structure and stability of these carbenes was studied both experimentally and theoretically. Among the different stabilization modes investigated, those featuring an acceptor as well as a spectator aryl substituent result in stable or at least persistent carbenes that could be completely characterized by classical spectroscopic methods. In marked contrast, the new substitution pattern featuring a donor aryl ring results in a very fleeting carbene.