Short Intermolecular Phosphorus…Phosphorus Distances in the Crystal Structures of Bis{Bis(Perfluoroaryl)Phosphino}Methanes

Abstract

The crystal structure of bis{bis(4-trifluoromethyltetrafluorophenyl)phosphino}-methane 2 determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction comprises pairs of molecules related by an inversion center and possessing short P⋅⋅⋅P distances. The molecular structure and the structure of the pairs are similar to those in the crystal structure of bis{bis(pentafluorophenyl)-phosphino}methane, although the packing is different. Comparison with the structures of bis(diphenylphosphino)methane and bis{bis(pentafluorophenyl)phosphine}difluoromethane suggests that intramolecular C–H⋅⋅⋅F–C interactions are the most important factor in determining the presence of the short P⋅⋅⋅P distances in the crystal structures of bis(diarylphosphino)methanes.

Supplemental materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of Phosphorus, Sulfur, and Silicon and the Related Elements to view the free supplemental file.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Keywords:

• Bis{bis(4-trifluoromethyltetrafluorophenyl)phosphino}methane
• crystal structure
• P⋅⋅⋅P contact

Acknowledgments

The author thanks the University of Waikato for financial support, Prof. B. K. Nicholson for assistance with the structure determination, and Dr. Jan Wikaira (University of Canterbury) for the X-ray data set.