1,5-diaza-3,7-diphosphacyclooctane (P2N2) is a versatile ligand that has been employed with different metals for a large variety of reactions, from cross coupling to CO2 reduction. Of particular interest are Ni(P2N2)2 complexes, which were shown by D. L. DuBois et al. to be highly efficient catalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Their unique design with pendant amines in the second coordination sphere makes them an excellent hydrogenase mimic. Studying those model compounds improves understanding of the processes which allow hydrogenases to interconvert hydrogen and protons with great efficiency. In recent years the functionalization of the amines was studied in depth. However, variation of the substituents on the phosphine are still limited. Previously, functionalized aryl phosphines were not available due to the highly reactive nature of the primary phosphine precursors. Post synthetic modification of the P2N2 ligand now enables us to access highly functionalized aryl substituted phosphines.

New synthetic routs to functionalized P2N2 ligands

255th National Meeting (2018)

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