Insertion of phenyl isothiocyanate into a P–P bond of a nickel-substituted bicyclo[1.1.0]tetraphosphabutane

Abstract

A new reaction mode for bicyclo[1.1.0]tetraphosphabutanes is reported. The C=S and C=N bonds of phenyl isothiocyanate reversibly insert into a P-P bond of [{CpNi(IMes)}(2)(mu-eta(1):eta(1)-P-4)] (1(Mes), IMes = 1,3-bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)imidazolin-2-ylidene), forming isomers 2a and 2b. X-ray crystallography and P-31{H-1} NMR spectroscopy revealed similar bicyclo[3.1.0]heterohexane structures for these compounds.