Synthesis, Structure, and Reactions of 1-tert-Butyl-2-diphenylphosphino-imidazole

Metalation reactions were studied of a sterically demanding imidazole derivative, namely, 1-tert-butylimidazole (1), with different metalation reagents and subsequent reaction with diphenylchlorophosphane. The reaction product, 1-tert-butyl-2-diphenylphosphino-imidazole (2), was subjected to oxidation and complexation reactions to yield the corresponding products Ph-2(Imi)P-E (E = O(3), S (4), Se (5), W(CO)(5) (8)) and in the case of borane-THF the N-BH3 coordination product 10 was obtained. The analytical data of the new compounds are discussed, including X-ray diffraction studies of 3-5.