Formation of cyclo-E42- units (E4=P 4, As4, AsP3) by a Complex with a Cr-Cr Quintuple Bond

Abstract

White phosphorus, yellow arsenic, and AsP3 have been successfully activated by a complex with a Cr-Cr quintuple bond in one step leading to the formation of rare terminally bound cyclo-P42-, cyclo-As42-, and cyclo-AsP3 units. The subsequent reaction with an excess of [W(CO)5(thf)] leads to the coordination of one {W(CO)5} fragment in the thermodynamically most stable form according to DFT calculations. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.