title: Difluorophosphoryl nitrene F2P(O)N: matrix isolation and unexpected rearrangement to F2PNO.
abstract: Triplet difluorophosphoryl nitrene F(2)P(O)N (X(3)A'') was generated on ArF excimer laser irradiation (lambda=193 nm) of F(2)P(O)N(3) in solid argon matrix at 16 K, and characterized by its matrix IR, UV/Vis, and EPR spectra, in combination with DFT and CBS-QB3 calculations. On visible light irradiation (lambda>420 nm) at 16 K F(2)P(O)N reacts with molecular nitrogen and some of the azide is regenerated. UV irradiation (lambda=255 nm) of F(2)P(O)N (X(3)A'') induced a Curtius-type rearrangement, but instead of a 1,3-fluorine shift, nitrogen migration to give F(2)PON is proposed to be the first step of the photoisomerization of F(2)P(O)N into F(2)PNO (difluoronitrosophosphine). Formation of novel F(2)PNO was confirmed with (15)N- and (18)O-enriched isotopomers by IR spectroscopy and DFT calculations. Theoretical calculations predict a rather long P-N bond of 1.922 A [B3LYP/6-311+G(3df)] and low bond-dissociation energy of 76.3 kJ mol(-1) (CBS-QB3) for F(2)PNO.
authors.affiliation: FB C-Anorganische Chemie, Bergische Universität Wuppertal, 42119 Wuppertal, Germany.
authors.forename: Xiaoqing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Helmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Beckers
authors.forename: Helge
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Willner
authors.forename: Patrik
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Neuhaus
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Grote
authors.forename: Wolfram
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sander