title: Cubic and spirocyclic radicals containing a tetraimidophosphate dianion [P(NR)3(NR')]*2-.
abstract: The reaction of Cl(3)PNSiMe(3) with 3 equiv of LiHNR (R = (i)Pr, Cy, (t)Bu, Ad) in diethyl ether produces the corresponding tris(amino)(imino)phosphoranes (RNH)(3)PNSiMe(3) (1a, R = (i)Pr; 1b, R = Cy; 1c, R = (t)Bu; 1d, R = Ad); subsequent reactions of 1b-d with (n)BuLi yield the trilithiated tetraimidophosphates {Li(3)[P(NR)(3)(NSiMe(3))]} (2a, R = Cy; 2b, R = (t)Bu; 2c, R = Ad). The reaction of [((t)BuNH)(4)P]Cl with 1 equiv of (n)BuLi results in the isolation of ((t)BuNH)(3)PN(t)Bu (1e); treatment of 1e with additional (n)BuLi generates the symmetrical tetraimidophosphate {Li(3)[P(N(t)Bu)(4)]} (2d). Compounds 1 and 2 have been characterized by multinuclear ((1)H, (13)C, and (31)P) NMR spectroscopy; X-ray structures of 1b,c were also obtained. Oxidations of 2a-c with iodine, bromine, or sulfuryl chloride produces transient radicals in the case of 2a or stable radicals of the formula {Li(2)[P(NR)(3)(NSiMe(3))]LiX.3THF}* (X = Cl, Br, I; R = (t)Bu, Ad). The stable radicals exhibit C(3) symmetry and are thought to exist in a cubic arrangement, with the monomeric LiX unit bonded to the neutral radical {Li(2)[P(NR)(3)(NSiMe(3))]}* to complete the Li(3)N(3)PX cube. Reactions of solvent-separated ion pair {[Li(THF)(4)]{Li(THF)(2)[(mu-N(t)Bu)(2)P(mu-N(t)Bu)(2)]Li(THF)(2)} (6) with I(2) or SO(2)Cl(2) produce the persistent spirocyclic radical {(THF)(2)Li(mu-N(t)Bu)(2)P(mu-N(t)Bu)Li(THF)(2)}* (10a); all radicals have been characterized by a combination of variable concentration EPR experiments and DFT calculations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Andrea F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Armstrong
authors.forename: Tristram
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chivers
authors.forename: Heikki M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Tuononen
authors.forename: Masood
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Parvez
authors.forename: René T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Boeré