Terminal E1 Ligands from Elements of Group 15

From objects of speculation to manipulable compounds: Two research groups have achieved the synthesis of the long sought metal complexes with terminal phosphido (P3−) ligands by independent routes, and both papers can be found in this issue of Angewandle Chemie. Cummins et al. report on the synthesis of 1 on p. 2042ff, Schrock et al. on the synthesis of 2 on p. 2044ff. Together with phosphaalkynes RCP these are the first compounds with a singly coordinated phosphorus and will be of interest to theoreticians and preparative chemists alike. R = C(CD3)2CH3; Ar = 3,5‐C6H3Me2; N3N = (Me3SiNCH2CH2)3N; M = Mo, W. equation image