Syntheses and structure of bis(pentamethylcyclopentadienyl)dithiophosphinato complexes

Bis(pentamethylcyclopentadienyl)phosphane Cp*2PH reacts with sulfur under basic conditions to give the corresponding dithiophosphinate salts M+ CP*2PS2- (5 M+ = HNEt3+ 6 M+ = Li+), which are formed via the intermediate CP*P-2(S)H (4). Both salts on treatment with cobalt(II) chloride give rise to the transition metal dithiophosphinate 7. The structures of this new type of diorganodithiophosphinate complexes in the solid state have been investigated. (C) 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.