1,8,9-Substituted anthracenes, intramolecular phosphine donor stabilized metaphosphonate and phosphenium

A series of 1 8,9-tris(phosphorus) substituted anthracenes was synthesised and fully characterised. Their molecular geometry is such that the middle phosphorus atom is in a highly congested space, with terminal phosphorus atoms in close proximity The middle phosphorus atom accepts electron density from none, one or both terminal phosphorus atoms to form P-P bonds. Thus phosphino (repulsively interacting), metaphosphonato (single donor stabilised) as well as phosphenium (doubly phosphine donor stabilised) environments around the phosphorus atom in position 9 were synthesized and structurally characterised. Observed P... P distances range from 2.22 to 3.27 angstrom.