Coordination isomerism in N-heterocyclic phosphenium thiocyanates

Abstract

Two N-heterocyclic phosphines with exocyclic SCN substituents were synthesised via metathesis of chlorophosphine precursors with KSCN and fully characterised. The crystallographic studies reveal that the products exhibit pronounced structural differences. The thiocyanato unit binds in one case via the nitrogen atom to yield a molecular structure with a slightly elongated P–N single bond and, in the other case, via the sulfur atom to form a structure that is best described as an ion pair and forms a one-dimensional coordination polymer in the crystal. DFT calculations suggest that the P–N and P…S interactions can be described as covalent and dative bonds, respectively, and that the structural differences correlate with the different cation stabilities of the individual phosphenium cation fragments.