The Reactivity of Phosphagermaallene Tip(<i>t</i>-Bu)Ge═C═PMes* with Doubly and Triply Bonded Nitrogen Compounds

Abstract

Phosphagermaallene Tip(t-Bu)Ge=C=PMes* (1; Mes* = 2,4,6-tri-tert-butylphenyl, Tip = 2,4,6-triisopropylphenyl) gives, with N-benzylidenemethylamine and pivalonitrile, [2+2] cycloadditions between the Ge=C double bond and the C=N and C≡N unsaturations, leading to the formation of the corresponding four-membered heterocycles 2 and 9. With N-tert-butyl-α-phenylnitrone and benzonitrile oxide, [2+3] cycloadditions occur to form the five-membered ring derivatives 6 and 7. By treatment of 1 with derivatives which possess weak acidic hydrogens in α of the C=N or C≡N multiple bond, two types of reactions were observed: an ene reaction with methyl(benzylideneamino)acetate and a 1,2 addition with acetonitrile to afford azadienyl(germyl)ether (4) and 3-germa-1-phosphapropene (8), respectively. In the case of benzonitrile, phosphagermaallene 1 behaves as a 1,3-dipole, to give, via a cyclic phosphagermacarbene intermediate, the tricyclic derivative 10.