Stable N-Phosphorylated 1,2,4-Triazol-5-ylidenes: Novel Ligands for Metal Complexes

Synthetic routes to novel N-phosphorylated 1,2,4-triazolium salts have been developed. Treatment of the specified salts with strong base produces new stable N-phosphorylated 1,2,4-triazol-5-ylidenes, which add Se in two stages (first at the carbene carbon and then at phosphorus) and rearrange to C-phosphorylated triazoles with heating. The capacity of such N-phosphorylated triazol-5-ylidenes to act as bidentate ligands toward transition-metal centers has also been demonstrated; in particular, the formation of two dinuclear silver carbene complexes is described herein. The structures of one representative carbene and of one carbene complex were determined by an X-ray study.