The first example of the two-electron reduction of a phosphaalkyne - Synthesis and structural characterisation of the diuranium(IV) pentalene complex [(U{η5-C5Me5}{η8-C 8H4(SiiPr3-1,4)2}) 2(μ-η2:η1-tBuCP)]

Abstract

The facile two-electron reduction of the phosphaalkyne tBuC=P by the U III cyclopentadienyl-pentalene mixed-sandwich complex [U(η5-C5Me5){η8-C 8H4(SiiPr3)2}] is reported. A single-crystal X-ray structural analysis of the diuranium(IV) product [(U{η5-C5Me5}{η8-C 8H4(SiiPr3)2})2(μ- tBuCP)] shows that it contains a slightly unsymmetrical, bridging μ-η2:η1- ligated phosphaalkene dianion. © 2013 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.