Formation of Cage Compounds Containing Boron, Phosphorus, and Transition Metal Atoms

The 1:1 reactions with
(R3P)2MCl2
(M = Ni, Pd, and Pt) have been surveyed, and bicyclic cage compounds
containing boron, phosphorus and transition
metal (Ni, Pd, or Pt) atoms have been isolated and characterized.
The molecular structures of the species
(Et3P)2Pd(PBNiPr2)2
(2),
(Et3P)2Pd(PBtmp)2
(3), and
(Et3P)2Pt(PBNiPr2)2
(4) have been determined by single-crystal
X-ray diffraction techniques. 2 crystallized in the
monoclinic space group C2/c with a =
20.212(4) Å, b =
10.225(1) Å, c = 17.460(2) Å, β =
107.72(1)°, and Z = 4. 3
crystallized in the orthorhombic space group
P212121 with
a = 12.606(1) Å, b = 12.618(1) Å,
c = 24.221(3) Å, and Z = 4.
4 crystallized in the monoclinic
space group C2/c with a =
20.195(3) Å, b = 10.187(2) Å, c =
17.280(2) Å, β = 107.53(7)°, and Z = 4.
The
spectroscopic and structural features of the new cage compounds are
discussed in relation to their main group
element cage analogs.