Preparation and structure of trichlorotris(dimethylphenylphosphine)tungsten(III), the first structurally characterised neutral mononuclear complex of tungsten(III)

Abstract

A mononuclear complex of tungsten(III) has been obtained by the zinc reduction of [WCl₄(PMe₂Ph)₃]. This product, [WCl₃(PMe₂Ph)₃], has an octahedral, meridional configuration, and crystallises in the space group P2₁/c, with a= 16.177(2), b= 10.350(1) and c= 18.079(2)Å, β= 113.81(6)°. It can be used to prepare other mononuclear tungsten(III) compounds. Its structural relationship with other complexes, [MCl₃(PMe₂Ph)₃](M = Re, Os or Ir), is discussed.