Coordination abilities of Di-2-picolylphenylphosphane judged on the basis of charge density investigations

Abstract

The hindered reactivity of [PhP(CH2Py)2LiCl] 2 (2) compared to the coordination behavior of the lithium chloride free ligand PhP(CH2Py)2 (Py = 2-pyridyl) (1) could be elucidated by means of experimental electron density studies. According to the successful synthesis of metal complexes containing the dianionic Janus Head ligand [PhP(CHPy)2]2-, the formation and the coordination pattern of the monoanionic ligand [PhP{C(H)Py}(CH2Py)]- was examined. The reaction of ligand 1 with n-butyllithium/PMDETA and the superbase n-butyllithium/NaOtBu, respectively, led to the alkali metal complexes [(PMDETA)Li{C(H)Py}P(CH2Py)Ph] (5) and [(PyCH2)PhP{C(H) Py}Na(Et2O)]2 (6). Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.