Hexasubstituted hybrid tetradentate (N,N′,P,P′)-ferrocenes bearing phosphino and aminomethyl groups, plus hindering tert-butyl moieties, were synthesized by using two different strategies: a "diverging" synthesis involving successive functionalization of preformed di-tert-butylated ferrocene and a "converging" assembly of the species from appropriately substituted cyclopentadienyl rings. While the new cyclopentadienyl salts formed are of interest, their assembly with iron dichloride used as a "converging" way to produce tetradentate ferrocene ligands presented several drawbacks. Conversely, the synthesis of new tert-butylated (aminomethyl)ferrocene derivatives was found convenient to further form (N,N′)-aminomethyl,(P,P′)-tert-butylated-ferrocenyl diphosphines by N-directed ortho-metalation. The novel N 2didentate and N 2 P 2 -tetradentate tert-butylated ferrocene compounds were all synthesized in good to high yields (48−96%) and tolerated aryl, alkyl, and heteroaryl phosphino groups as substituents on nitrogen and phosphorus atoms. They were characterized by X-ray diffraction and multinuclear NMR ( 1 H, 13 C, 31 P, 15 N). We observed the conformation control provided to rac-(N,N′)-diaminomethyl-(P,P′)-tert-butylated-ferrocenyldiphosphines with in particular the systematic near-eclipsed conformation of aminomethyl groups. This conformation is at the origin of the unexpected formation at RT of a zwitterionic cyclopalladate from an (aminomethyl)ferrocene derivative, arising from intramolecular Cp-proton transfer to the proximate free amino group by simple C−H activation reaction in the presence of palladium dichloride.

Versatile synthetic protocols for 2,7- and 3,6-diacetylenic fluorene-9-ylidene phosphanes (F9Ps) were developed. Protodesilylation of trimethylsilyl-protected acetylenic F9Ps affords terminal acetylenes that can be employed in Sonogashira and Glaser-type C-C coupling reactions to give thienyl-decorated and butadiyne-bridged fluorene-9-ylidene phosphanes, respectively. As evidenced by UV/Vis spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry and corroborated by ab initio calculations, the presence of the P center in the F9Ps induces a significantly reduced HOMO-LUMO splitting that originates from stabilization of the LUMO levels. Variation of the acetylene substitution pattern is an additional tool to influence the optical and electronic properties. Whereas 3,6-disubstituted F9Ps have strong absorptions around 400 nm, mainly due to π-π* transitions, 2,7-diacetylenic F9Ps exhibit longest-wavelength absorptions that have significant charge-transfer character with an onset around 520 nm.

Doing the phosphate dance: The phospha‐Wittig–Horner reaction proceeds through stepwise PP cleavage of an oxadiphosphetane intermediate, followed by a [2,3]‐sigmatropic rearrangement that paves the way for the final E2 elimination to form 1‐phosphaallenes. The mechanism is thus greatly different to that of its carbon analogue, that is, the Horner–Wadsworth–Emmons reaction.

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