Unusual Reactivity of Sodium Tetramesityltetraphosphanediide towards Cyclohexyl Isocyanide.

The reaction of [Na2 (thf)4 (P4 Mes4 )] (Mes=2,4,6-Me3 C6 H2 ) with cyclohexyl isocyanide (2:5) resulted in the formation of the heterocyclic N-(tetramesityltetraphosphacyclopentylidene)cyclohexylamine [cyclo-{P4 Mes4 C(NCy)}] (2) (30-35 %), the unusual 1,3,5-triphospha-1,4-pentadiene (3) (40-45 %), and small amounts of the dimeric iminomethylidenephosphane cyclo-{PMesC(NCy)}2 (4). With catalytic amounts of AgBF4 , 2 was the major product. The reaction of 2 with [CuBr(SMe2 )] (1:1) produced bromido-bridged dimeric CuI complex 5. Molecular structures of compounds 3, 4, and 5 were obtained.