N-Heterocyclic Carbenes as Promotors for the Rearrangement of Phosphaketenes to Phosphaheteroallenes: A Case Study for OCP to OPC Constitutional Isomerism

The concept of isomerism is essential to chemistry and allows defining molecules with an identical composition but different connectivity (bonds) between their atoms (constitutional isomers) and/or a different arrangement in space (stereoisomers). The reaction of phosphanyl ketenes, (NHP)-P=C=O (NHP=N-heterocyclic phosphenium) with N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) leads to phosphaheteroallenes (NHP)-O-P=C=NHC in which the PCO unit has been isomerized to OPC. Based on the isolation of several intermediates and DFT calculations, a mechanism for this fundamental isomerisation process is proposed.