Organometallic Chemistry of the Difluorodithiophosphate anion

Fluorotrithiophosphate Abstraction from the Difluoropentathiodiphosphate Dianion: d8 and d6 Complexes of [η2-S3PF]2

Coordinative heterolysis of the difluoropentathiodiphosphate dianion [S₅P₂F₂]^2- results in the formal elimination of [S₂PF] by complexes of the group 10 divalent metals nickel, palladium, and platinum. The remaining fragment of this cleavage, [S₃PF]^2- coordinates as an η²-ligand. Several complexes with this novel fluorotrithiophosphate were characterized structurally and spectroscopically with X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared (IR) spectroscopy, and ³¹P and ¹⁹F nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). In addition to mononuclear η² chelate complexes, bridging complexes with η²-μ₂-S₃PF configurations result in binuclear nickel and ruthenium adducts. Facile methylation with methyl triflate of the uncoordinated sulfur atom leads to a complex with the methylthiofluorodithiophosphate ligand in a cationic complex, which hydrolyses with loss of fluoride to give complexed [S₂P(O)SMe]^2-. Alternatively hydrolysis can also lead to a binuclear Ni₂(dppe)₂(S₃PF)(S₂POF) complex. Divalent ruthenium π-aryl's form fluorotrithiophosphate complexes rapidly at room temperature to give bridged dimers with complete chloride substitution.