Abstract

A stable (amino)plumbylene-substituted phosphaketene 3 was synthesized by the successive reactions of PbCl2 with two anionic reagents (lithium amidophosphine and NaPCO). Of particular interest, the thermal evolution of 3, at 80 degrees C, leads to the transient formation of corresponding amino- and phosphanylidene-phosphaketenes (6 and 7), via a reductive elimination at the Pb-II center forming new N-P and P-P bonds. Further evolution of 6 gives a new cyclic (amino)phosphanylidene phosphorane 4, which shows a unique reactivity as a phosphinidene. This result provides a new synthetic route to phosphinidenes, extending and facilitating further their access.