A novel access to phosphanylidene-phosphorane complexes via P-donor substitution and a detailed bonding analysis.

Phospha-Wittig reagents such as phosphanylidene-phosphoranes and their transition metal complexes are of great interest as sources of P 1 building blocks but the access is still limited. Herein, we describe a new access to phosphanylidene-phosphorane complexes starting from the N -methylimidazole-to-phosphinidene complex adduct. The complexes were studied electrochemically and theoretically, also with respect to their 31 P NMR data, and the P-P bonds were evaluated by various DFT-derived descriptors.