Synthesis of the sterically congested diarylphosphines image and image and the monomeric Sn(II)-diphosphide image

The very sterically encumbered secondary chlorophosphines View the MathML sourceArTrip2P(Ph)Cl(ArTrip2=C6H3-2,6(C6H2-2,4,6-Pri3)) and View the MathML sourceArMes2P(Ph)Cl(ArMes2=C6H3-2,6(C6H2-2,4,6-Me3)) were prepared from the respective aryllithium precursors and PhPCl2. Subsequent reduction of the chlorophosphines with Li[AlH4] yielded the corresponding phosphines ArylP(Ph)H in high yield; these afforded the lithium salts ArylP(Ph)Li upon treatment with nBuLi, and the synthesis and structural characterization of the monomeric terphenyl phosphide {[ArMes2P(Ph)]Li(THF)2}{[ArMes2P(Ph)]Li(THF)2} are described. Reaction of two equivalents of the lithium phosphide with SnCl2 afforded a rare example of a monomeric Sn(II)-diphosphide, [ArMes2P(Ph)]2Sn[ArMes2P(Ph)]2Sn.