Lability of tertiary phosphine groups of tertiary phosphidomethyl derivatives of tungsten

Abstract

The rate of the thermal rearrangement of the compounds [W(η-C₅H₅)₂H(CH₂PR₃)]PF₆ to [W(η-C₅H₅)₂Me(PR₃)]PF₆ increases in the order R₃= Ph₂Me>PhMe₂>Me₃, and when R₃= Me₃ the two compounds are found to be in equilibrium in solution; when R₃= Ph₂Me the PMePh₂ group exchanges with added PMe₃ giving [W(η-C₅H₅)₂H(CH₂PMe₃)]PF₆.