The
phosphirenyl cation complex [W(CO)5{PC(Ph)C(Ph)}]+ (2) is formed by chloride abstraction from the
chlorophosphirene complex [W(CO)5{P(Cl)C(Ph)C(Ph)}] (1) with excess AlCl3. The phosphirenyl triflate
complex [W(CO)5{P(OSO2CF3)C(Ph)C(Ph)}]
(3) is formed by reaction of the chlorophosphirene complex
with AgOSO2CF3 and is in equilibrium with and
typically reacts in the same fashion as the phosphirenyl cation. Reaction
of 3 with diethylaniline or anisole leads to electrophilic
aromatic substitution preferentially at the para position. Reaction
with N,N-dimethyl-p-toluidine, in which the para position is blocked, leads to exclusive
ortho substitution. The resulting 1,2-substituted arene can adopt
a P,N bidentate coordination mode if a CO is removed from tungsten
via photolysis. Compound 3 reacts with aromatic heterocycles
thiophene, furan, and pyrrole, leading exclusively to substitution
in the 2 position, with no evidence for P–S, P–O, or
P–N bond formation. Reaction with indole led to substitution
at the 3 position, also with no evidence for P–N bond formation.
However, upon chromatographic purification, the substituted indole
product decomposes into a disubstituted product, with W-coordinated
phosphirenyl units at the 3 position and at N. Reaction with phenol
and diphenyl amine led exclusively to P–O and P–N bond
formation, with no evidence for aromatic substitution. Phosphine products
can be removed via oxidation of W with I2, followed by
displacement with bipyridine. A computational study shows that coordination
to W(CO)5 greatly enhances electrophilicity at P in phosphenium
ions, leading to the observed rapid electrophilic substitution reactions.