title: Does a sterically bulky group occupy the equatorial site in trigonal bipyramidal phosphorus?
abstract: [structure: see text] The sterically bulky tert-butyl group occupies an apical position in trigonal bipyramidal phosphorus in the compound [CH2(6-t-Bu-4-Me-C6H2O)2]P(t-Bu)(1,2-O2C6Cl4) in contrast to the occupation of an equatorial position by the small methyl group in [CH2(6-t-Bu-4-Me-C6H2O)2]P(Me)(1,2-O2C6Cl4); this observation contradicts the familiar "apicophilicity rules" for trigonal bipyramidal phosphorus. Low-temperature solution 31P NMR spectra of [CH2(6-t-Bu-4-Me-C6H2O)2]P(R)(1,2-O2C6Cl4) (R = Me, Et, and n-Bu) show the presence of more than two isomers.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad--500046, A. P., India.
authors.forename: Praveen
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kommana
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Satish Kumar
authors.forename: Jagadese J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Vittal
authors.forename: E G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Jayasree
authors.forename: E D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Jemmis
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Kumara Swamy