Palladium complexes derived from N,N-bidentate NH-iminophosphorane ligands: synthesis and use as catalysts in the Sonogashira reaction.

The addition of primary amines to the C=C bond of diphenylalkenyl iminophosphoranes yielded a new subtype of N,N-bidentate ligands bearing N=P(V)-C-C-NH backbones. These donor ligands reacted with PdCl(2)(COD) to give the corresponding σN,σN-palladium complexes containing secondary amino groups, bearing an intrinsically chiral nitrogen atom, and iminophosphorane units. These new complexes have been fully characterized by the use of spectroscopic techniques and X-ray crystallography. The comparison of the data extracted from their solution NMR spectra with their solid state structures demonstrated the conformational stability of their six-membered chelate ring and also the configurational stability of the chiral nitrogen atom, thus ruling out an arm-off racemization process. The addition of the chiral, racemic α-methylbenzylamine to the prochiral P-alkenyl iminophosphoranes yielded mixtures of the two expected diasteroisomeric ligands in low diastereoisomeric ratios. One of these mixtures was resolved into their components, each one in turn giving rise to a pair of diasteromeric palladium complexes epimeric at the amino nitrogen atom. One selected example of the new complexes efficiently catalyzes the copper- and amine-free Sonogashira reaction of aryl halides with acetylenes.

Insertion of benzynes into the P═N Bond of P-alkenyl(alkynyl)-λ5-phosphazenes.

Benzynes, generated from 2-(trimethylsilyl)phenyl triflates, have been found to react with P-Alkenyl-λ(5)-phosphazenes via a formal π-insertion into the P═N bond. A subsequent retro [2 + 2] cycloaddition/6π electrocyclization/protonation cascade explains the formation of the resulting 1,4-benzazaphosphorinium triflates. P-Alkynyl λ(5)-phosphazenes and phosphane sulfides undergo similar transformations.