Reactivity patterns of thermally stable, terminal, electrophilic phosphinidene complexes towards diazoalkanes: oxidation at the phosphorus centre and formation of P-bound (eta)1-phosphaazine, (eta)1-phosphaalkene and (eta)3-diazaphosphaallene complexes

The thermally stable, terminal phosphinidene complexes [CpM(CO)2((eta)1-PNiPr2)]AlCl4(Cp= Cp, Cp*; M = Fe) and [Cp*M(CO)3((eta)1-PN^iPr2)]AlCl4(M = Cr, Mo, W) react with Ph2C=N=N to form terminal P-coordinated (eta)1phosphaazine and (eta)3-diazaphosphaallene ligands, respectively, whereas [CpFe(CO)2((eta)1-PNiPr2)]AlCl4 reacts with Me3SiCHN2 affording a terminal phosphorus bound (eta)1-phosphaalkene complex.