An isolable phosphaalumene(3) capable of small molecule activation via unique modes of reactivity.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 41644547.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-026-69118-4 and PMC identifier 12982508.
- Licence recorded as CC BY-NC-ND.
- Because redistribution is not established, this page shows the abstract only. Follow the links below for the full text.
Abstract
The chemistry of phosphaalumenes [R-Al=P-R'] featuring multiple bonds between phosphorus and aluminum remains largely unexplored. Here we show the syntheses of a phosphaalumene(3) through either the reaction of <sup>Dipp</sup>NacNacM (<sup>Dipp</sup>NacNac = HC[(CMe)N(2,6-<sup>i</sup>Pr<sub>2</sub>C<sub>6</sub>H<sub>3</sub>)]<sub>2</sub>, M = Al) with a bisphosphirane-fused anthracene (1) or with a phospha-Wittig reagent (2) under mild conditions. This phosphaalumene exhibits reactivities that stand in contrast to those of previously reported transient species II, especially in its ability to activate small molecules such as dihydrogen (H<sub>2</sub>), white phosphorus (P<sub>4</sub>), isocyanides, CO<sub>2</sub>, N<sub>2</sub>O, trimethylsilyl azide (TMSN<sub>3</sub>), diphenyl diselenide (PhSeSePh), PhSiH<sub>3</sub>, PhNH<sub>2</sub>, styrene and 1-ethynyl-4-methylbenzene. It has been found in this research that the ligand environment can have a subtle but profound impact on the reactivity of phosphaalumenes.