Selective 1,2 addition of polar X–H bonds to the Ga–P double bond of gallaphosphene L(Cl)GaPGaL

Gallaphosphene L(Cl)GaPGaL 1 (L = HC[C(Me)N(2,6-i-Pr2-C6H3)]2) reacts at ambient temperature with a series of polar X-H bonds, i.e. ammonia, primary amines, water, phenol, thiophenol, and selenophenol, selectively with 1,2 addition at the polar Ga-P double bond. The gallium atom serves as electrophile and the phosphorous atom is protonated in all reactions. The resulting complexes L(Cl)GaP(H)Ga(X)L (X = NH22, NHi-Pr 3, NHPh 4, OH 5, OXyl 6, SPh 7, SePh 8) were characterized by IR and heteronuclear (1H, 13C{1H}, 31P{1H}) NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction.