Reactivity of an N-mesityl bis(phosphinimino)methane with group 10 metals

In an attempt to form a group 10 ‘carbenoid’ derivative by double deprotonation of the N-mesityl substituted bis(phosphinimino)methane [CH2(Ph2PN-2,4,6-Me3C6H2)2], reaction with [PdCl2(MeCN)2] yielded a singly metallated dichloropalladate(II) complex as the only product. This was completely characterised specroscopically and by single crystal crystal X-ray diffraction. In contrast, reaction of [CH2(Ph2PN-2,4,6-Me3C6H2)2] with [PtMe2(COD)] produced a bis(phosphinimino)methanide complex, which had also undergone ortho-metallation of two P-phenyl groups to effect a triple C–H activation reaction.

Graphical abstractReactions of an N-mesityl bis(phosphinimino)methane with [PdCl2(MeCN)2] or [PtMe2(COD)] produced bis(phosphinimino)methanide complexes resulting from single and triple C–H activation, respectively.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide