Angewandte
Communications
Chemie
[23]
the rapidly exchanging isomers of 2. In contrast, at ambient
temperature exo,exo-1 does not undergo exchange with BPh
3
31
1
as it shows a sharp AMX spin system in the P{ H} NMR
2
11
spectrum and an additional B signal for the free borane at
d = 49.4 ppm. DFT calculations concur with the apparent lack
of dynamics, as the bis(BPh ) intermediate (compare with
3
À1
Scheme 4) is a significant 15.3 kcalmol less stable than
exo,exo-1, which inhibits rapid exchange at room temper-
ature.
We next set out to investigate whether or not a bisborane–
À
[
RP ] is experimentally accessible. We felt that two boranes
4
[17]
Figure 2. Molecular structure of 3b in the crystal (thermal ellip-
should be able to effectively stabilize both lone pairs of the
wingtip phosphorus, but that the size of their substituents (Ph,
C F ) might be sterically too demanding to allow isolation of
the bisborane adduct. The smallest of the boranes, BH , was
targeted successfully for stabilizing [Mes*P ] . Adding an
+
soids are set at 50% probability; H atoms, the [PPh4] counterion,
and a cocrystallized THF molecule are omitted for clarity). Selected
bond lengths [], angle, and torsion angle [8]: P1ÀP2/P3 2.2249(6)/
2.2287(6), P4ÀP2/P3 2.1884(6)/2.1868(6), P2ÀP3 2.1985(6), C1ÀP1
6
5
3
À
À
À
1
.8787(16), P4 B1 1.961(2), P4 B2 1.957(2); B1-P4-B2 122.84(10);
4
P1-P2-P3-P4 105.41(3).
excess of Me S·BH to a suspension of 1 in n-pentane enabled
2
3
isolation of the desired bisborane 3a, which was isolated in
11
6
8% yield (Scheme 5a). Its B NMR spectrum showed two
differ slightly from each other (P4ÀB1 39.8, P4ÀB2 36.4 kcal
À1
mol ) with the exo-BH group having the strongest bond. We
3
note 3 to be the first isolable P butterfly with two small
4
coordinating groups on a flanking phosphorus atom that
maintains its anionic character, thereby favorably contrasting
bicyclic tetraphosphanes with large, sterically encumbered
[
3–6,12,14,25]
groups that hamper controlled functionalization.
À
Next, we targeted the transfer of [Mes*P ] to the metal-
4
based Lewis acid W(CO) , which is isolobal with BH ,
5
3
Scheme 5. Transfer reactions of the BPh -stabilized Mes*P butterfly-
expecting a similar trisubstituted anion as 3. Stirring 1 and
3
4
type anion 1. a) Me S·BH (2.5 equiv), n-pentane, RT; b) 3a, Ph PBr
2
3
4
[(MeCN)W(CO) ] in THF in a 1:2.1 ratio showed indeed the
5
(
1.1 equiv), THF, RT; c) [(MeCN)W(CO) ] (2.1 equiv), THF, RT; d) 4a,
5
selective formation of the anticipated new ditungstate 4a,
Ph PBr (1.1 equiv), THF, RT.
4
which was isolated in 81% yield as a thick brown oil
[27]
31
(Scheme 5c).
The P NMR spectrum of compound 4a
shows characteristic resonance signals at d = À56.4(P1),
broad quartets at d = À30.9 and À37.9 ppm and the expected
À171.3(P4), and À259.0 ppm (P2,P3; AMX spin system).
2
31
1
AMX spin system in the P{ H} NMR spectrum with
Salt metathesis using Ph PBr afforded phosphonium salt 4b
2
4
resonance signals at d = À60(P4), À109.0(P1), and
À275.3 ppm (P2,P3). The resonance signal for the P4 nucleus
is significantly deshielded compared to that of exo,exo-1 and
compares well to that of the structurally related neutral
(65% yield; Scheme 5d) of which crystals suitable for X-ray
structure determination were obtained.
The molecular structure of 4b (Figure 3) confirms the
presence of two W(CO) groups coordinating to P4 at similar
5
[14]
DmpP Me·B(C F )
(À57.5 ppm)
and
Ga P tBu
distances (P4ÀW1 2.5811(4), P4ÀW2 2.5912(4) ) with a W1-
4
6
24]
5
3
2
4
6
+
[
(
À50.7 ppm). Salt metathesis enabled exchange of the Li
P4-W2 angle of 125.069(16)8. These structural parameters are
+
cation for Ph P to give 3b which was isolated in 25% yield
akin to those reported for the related diphosphide [Ph P]-
4
4
[
28]
(
Scheme 5b). Crystals of 3b suitable for X-ray diffraction
[((CO) W) PH ]. In the IR spectrum, the CO stretching
5
2
2
À1
were grown and the obtained molecular structure confirmed
modes
(4b:
2060,
2048,
1921
and
1861 cm ;
À
À
À1
its identity as
a
bis(BH )-stabilized [Mes*P4] anion
[((CO) W) PH ] : 2048, 1930, 1872 cm ) also suggest that
5 2 2
the donor strength of the anionic [RP ] core is similar to that
of PH2 . The P fold angle of 4b (101.83(2)8) is, like that for
3
À
(
Figure 2). The P1-P2-P3-P4 torsion angle of 105.41(3)8 is
4
À
nearly 108 larger than for 1, which suggests repulsion between
the endo-BH3 group (B2) and the lone pair on P1. This
widening of the butterfly is also observed in the related
4
3b (105.41(3)8), larger than for bifunctionalized P spe-
4
[3–6,14]
cies.
However, the P1ÀP2/P3 (2.2170(6)/2.2296(6) )
[
14]
trisubstituted DmpP Me·B(C F ) (102.98(2)8) and cationic
and P4ÀP2/P3 (2.2113(6)/2.2175(6) ) bond lengths are
4
6
5 3
+
[
Mes* P Cl] (À101.68(3)8) on which the group of Schulz
similar to those of bifunctionalized P species and no ring
2
4
4
[
25]
reported recently,
but is less pronounced than in the
contraction like in 3b is found.
1
:3 1:1
2+
tetrasubstituted [{CpRu(PPh ) } (m ,h -P H )]
cation
The exo PÀW(CO) bond of 4 is slightly stronger
3
2
2
4
2
5
[
26]
À1
(
134.28) isolated by Stoppioni et al. The P4ÀP2 and P4À (1.5 kcalmol ) than its endo bond, just like for the borane
À1
P3 bonds (2.1884(6), 2.1868(6) ) are slightly contracted
groups of 3, but both are about 25 kcalmol stronger (DE:
À1
compared to the P1ÀP2 and P1ÀP3 bonds (2.2249(6),
P4ÀW1 63.7; DE: P4ÀW2 62.2 kcalmol ) than the PÀB
2
.2287(6) ), likely as a result of the Lewis acidity of the
bonds, suggesting a more prominent charge transfer from the
À
BH groups. The calculated PÀB bond strengths of anionic 3
[RP4] core to the metal complexes. This effect is also
3
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2016, 55, 613 –617
ꢀ 2016 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim
615