Heteroleptic diphosphenes and arsaphosphenes bearing neutral and anionic N-heterocyclic carbenes

Abstract

The reaction of the phosphorus and arsenic dihalides (WCA-IDipp)ECl₂ (E = P, As) that bear an anionic N-heterocyclic carbene ligand with a weakly coordinating borate moiety (WCA = B(C₆F₅)₃, IDipp = 1,3-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazolin-2-ylidene) with (IDipp)PSiMe₃ afforded the monochlorides (WCA-IDipp)E(Cl)P(IDipp), which can be transformed into the cationic dipnictenes [(WCA-IDipp)EP(IDipp)][GaCl₄] or neutral radicals [(WCA-IDipp)EP(IDipp)] by treatment with GaCl₃ or reduction with 1,4-bis(trimethylsilyl)-1,4-dihydropyrazine.