The facile assembly of bis-, tris- and poly(triazaphosphole) systems using "click" chemistry.

Uncatalysed 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions between two phosphaalkynes, P≡CR (R = Bu(t) or Me), and a series of di-, tri- and poly-azido precursor compounds have given very high yields of a range of triazaphosphole substituted systems. These comprise the 1,1'-bis(triazaphosphole)ferrocenes, [Fe{C5H4(N3PCR)}2], the tris(triazaphosphole)cyclohexane, cis-1,3,5-C6H9(N3PCBu(t))3, and the poly(allyltriazaphosphole)s, {C3H5(N3PCR)}∞. Electrochemical studies on the 1,1'-bis(triazaphosphole)ferrocenes reveal the compounds to undergo reversible 1-electron oxidation processes, at significantly more positive potentials than ferrocene itself. Attempts to chemically oxidise one 1,1'-bis(triazaphosphole)ferrocene with a silver salt, Ag[Al{OC(CF3)3}4] were not successful, and led to the formation of a silver coordination complex, [{Fe[μ-C5H4(N3PCBu(t))]2(μ-Ag)}2][Al{OC(CF3)3}4]2, thereby demonstrating the potential the reported triazaphosphole substituted systems possess as novel ligands in coordination chemistry.