New synthetic route to polyphosphine ligands bearing 1,2,4,5-tetrakis(phosphino)benzene framework: structural characterizations of 1,4-(PPh2)2-2,5-(PR2)2-C6F2 (R = Ph, iPr, Et)

Reactions of 1,4-dibromo-2,5-difluorobenzene with two equivalents of lithium diisopropylamide at low temperature (T < −90 °C) followed by a quench with a slight excess of ClPPh2 afford 1,4-dibromo-2,5-bis(diphenylphosphino)-3,6-difluorobenzene (1) in good yields. Reacting 1 with two equivalents of BuLi followed by a quench with a slight excess of ClPR2 yield novel 1,2,4,5-tetrakis(phosphino)-3,6-difluorobenzenes 1,4-(PPh2)2-2,5-(PR2)2-C6F2 (R = Ph (2a); R = iPr (2b); R = Et (2c)) in moderate yields. Compounds 1 and 2a–c were characterized by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy and elemental analyses. In addition, molecular structures of 2a–c have been determined by single crystal X-ray crystallography. Phosphorus atoms of PPh2/PR2 substituents in 2a–c are displaced from the plane of the central phenyl ring due to steric interactions with neighboring groups.