Iminophosphanes: unconventional compounds of main group elements

Abstract

The large number of known stable compounds in which phosphorus has a low coordination number makes it clear that such compounds can no longer be regarded as "exotic" in main group chemistry. While the rich chemistry of P-C multiply bonded systems makes clear their affinity to their organic congeners, iminophosphanes in particular are also of increasing importance. The linkage of a phosphinidine fragment with an imine fragment via a multiple bond gives rise to a class of compounds with an unusually wide range of structural types. This in turn leads to a broad spectrum of chemical behavior which makes iminophosphanes extremely useful synthetic building blocks in organoelement chemistry.