Iron‐ and Cobalt‐Catalyzed Synthesis of Carbene Phosphinidenes

Abstract

In the presence of stoichiometric or catalytic amounts of [M{N(SiMe3 )2 }2 ] (M=Fe, Co), N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) react with primary phosphines to give a series of carbene phosphinidenes of the type (NHC)⋅PAr. The formation of (IMe4 )⋅PMes (Mes=mesityl) is also catalyzed by the phosphinidene-bridged complex [(IMe4 )2 Fe(μ-PMes)]2 , which provides evidence for metal-catalyzed phosphinidene transfer.