Organophosphorus compounds .119. The phosphaalkyne cyclotetramer system - Syntheses, valence isomerizations, and reactions

In contrast to their all-carbon analogues, phosphaalkyne cyclooligomers only became accessible a few years ago. A milestone in the chemistry of cyclotetramers was the synthesis and structural characterization of the tetraphosphacubane 5, obtained as a thermolysis product of tert-butylphosphaacetylene (1). Since then, the construction of eleven cyclotetramers has been achieved, covering seven different frameworks (A-G). As a consequence of the use of kinetically stabilized phosphaalkynes as starting materials, all known cyclotetramers bear sterically demanding substituents (tert-butyl, tert-pentyl, l-adamantyl). Cyclotetramerizations are not only achieved by thermolysis of 1, but also by alternative and selective routes such as transition-metal-mediated, Lewis acid- and base-induced processes, as well as by cycloadditions to phosphaalkyne cyclotrimers. Interestingly, these tetramers can be interconverted by various valence isomerizations. The results of thermal and photochemically-induced rearrangements are in good agreement with MO calculations carried out for the parent compounds. Phosphaalkyne cyclotetramers exhibit a highly interesting reactivity and other peculiar features. One outstanding example is the tetraphosphacubane 5, which shows unusual structural and spectroscopic properties as a result of its unique bonding arrangement.