Facile syntheses of new multidentate (phosphino)amines: X-ray structure of 1,4-{(OC)4Mo(Ph2P)2NCH2}2C6H4

The rigid backbone tetradentate (phosphino)amines 1,4-{(Ph2P)2N}2C6H4, 1,4-{(Ph2P)2NCH2}2C6H4 and the unprecedented octadentate ligand 1,2,4,5-{(Ph2P)2NCH2CH2SCH2}4C6H2 were readily prepared, in one-step, by full phosphinylation of the appropriate primary amine with Ph2PCl in Et2O with NEt3 as auxiliary base. Reaction with stoichiometric amounts of [Mo(CO)4(η4-nbd)] (nbd=norbornadiene) afforded either binuclear or tetranuclear P,P′-chelate complexes; the X-ray structure of one example is presented.