The Anion of a Phenyltris(alkylamino)phosphonium (PhTAP) Salt as a Chelating Ligand: Synthesis and X-ray Crystal Structure of a 16-Electron Ruthenium(II) Organometallic Complex

The phosphonium salt [PhP(NHiPr)3]Br has been synthesized, and the ligand properties of its deprotonated forms have been investigated. Treatment of its dilithiate Li2[PhP(NiPr)3] with the dimer [(η-p-cymene)RuCl2]2 provides the unsaturated 16-electron cation [(η-p-cymene)Ru{η2-(iPrN)2PPh(NHiPr)}]+ which adds cyanide and carbon monoxide (reversibly) and has been structurally characterized as its tetraphenylborate salt.