Synthesis of [1′-(diphenylthiophosphoryl)ferrocenyl]ethyne and alkyne-metal complexes thereof

The novel functionalized ferrocene alkyne, Ph2P(S)fcCCH (1; fc = ferrocene-1,1′-diyl), was prepared from Ph2P(S)fcCHO (6) via dibromide Ph2P(S)fcCHCBr2 (7). The alkyne reacts with K2[HgI4]/KOH to give the σ-acetylide Hg{Ph2P(S)fcCC}2 (8), and with [Co2(CO)8] yield the ferrocenylated metallatetrahedrane complex [(μ-η2:η2-1){Co(CO)3}2](Co-Co) (9). The structures of 1, Ph2PfcBr (5), 6, 7, and 9 have been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction.