Acceptor properties of some methyl- and ethyl-chlorophosphoranes and their derivatives with Lewis acids

Abstract

The acceptor properties of the alkylchlorophosphoranes PR_nCl_5–n(R = Me, n= 1 or 2; R = Et, n= 1—3), and of their derivatives with suitable Lewis acids (SbCl₅ or PCl₅), towards the Lewis bases Cl^–, pyridine, 2,2′-bipyridine, and 1,10-phenanthroline have been investigated, using mainly ³¹P n.m.r. spectroscopy. Complex formation was found to occur with PMeCl₄, PEtCl₄, and their derivatives, but the di- and tri-alkylchlorophosphoranes showed no evidence of acceptor abilities. Several new compounds have been isolated, and further characterised by elemental analysis and (in some cases) i.r. spectroscopy.