The synthesis and structural characterisation of the first phosphavinyl–Group 13 complexes

The bisphosphavinyl indium complex, [CyIn{C(tBu)PCy}2], has been prepared from the reaction of two equivalents of [CyPC(tBu)MgCl(OEt2)] with CyInBr2. Its crystal structure shows it to be monomeric with a trigonal planar indium centre. The reactions of [CyPC(tBu)MgCl(OEt2)] with MX3, M=Al, Ga or In, X=Cl or Br, leads to facile phosphavinyl coupling reactions and the formation of the diphosphametallobicyclo[1.1.1]pentane complexes, [M{C2(tBu)2P2Cy2}{C(tBu)PCy}], which contain terminal phosphavinyl ligands.