N‐Heterocyclic Carbene–Phosphinidyne Transition Metal Complexes

Abstract

Abstract The N‐heterocyclic carbene–phosphinidene adduct IPrPSiMe 3 is introduced as a synthon for the preparation of terminal carbene–phosphinidyne transition metal complexes of the type [(IPrP)ML n ] (ML n =(η 6 ‐p‐cymene)RuCl) and (η 5 ‐C 5 Me 5 )RhCl). Their spectroscopic and structural characteristics, namely low‐field 31 P NMR chemical shifts and short metal–phosphorus bonds, show their similarity with arylphosphinidene complexes. The formally mononegative IPrP ligand is also capable of bridging two or three metal atoms as demonstrated by the preparation of bi‐ and trimetallic RuAu, RhAu, Rh 2 , and Rh 2 Au complexes.