Synthesis and characterization of manganese triple-decker complexes.

The use of the highly sterically demanding Cp(BIG) ligand (Cp(BIG) = C5(4-nBuC6H4)5) and white phosphorus (P4) enables the synthesis of new P-rich derivatives of the rare Pn ligand complexes of manganese. The obtained complexes, [{Cp(BIG)Mn}2(μ,η(5:5)-P5)] (2) and [{Cp(BIG)Mn}2(μ,η(2:2)-P2)2] (3), exhibit the highest number of P atoms in this class of manganese compounds identified by X-ray structure analyses. The EPR spectrum of the 29 VE triple-decker complex 2 shows one unpaired electron coupling with two 5/2 spin Mn nuclei.