Isolation of a benzene valence isomer with one-electron phosphorus-phosphorus bonds.

Canac, Y; Bourissou, D; Baceiredo, A; Gornitzka, H; Schoeller, WW; Bertrand, G · Science · 1998

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

A tetraphosphabenzene analog of the postulated anti-tricyclohexylene, a singlet biradical valence isomer of benzene, has been isolated. The tricyclic derivative features one-electron phosphorus-phosphorus bonds, which result from the pi*-pi* interaction between two diphosphirenyl radicals. Such one-electron bonds may play a wider role in phosphorus chemistry.