Low-Valent Group 14 NHC-Stabilized Phosphinidenide ate Complexes and NHC-Stabilized K/P-Clusters

The N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-stabilized phosphinidenide, SIMesPK [SIMes=1,3-bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)imidazolidine-2-ylidene], was used as an (NHC)P-transfer reagent for the synthesis of the low-valent Group 14 ate complexes K[(SIMesP)(3)E] (E=Ge: 2, Sn: 3, Pb: 4), which were characterized by H-1 NMR, P-31 NMR, IR spectroscopy as well as elemental and X-ray analysis. Furthermore, SIMesPK was used in reactions with potassium amides and alkoxides to form the molecular phosphorus-potassium clusters [K-4(SIMesP)(2)(hmds)(2)] [5, hmds=N(SiMe3)(2)] and [K-6(SIMesP)(2)(OtBu)(4)] (6). Finally, the reaction of SIMesPK with Li[Al(OC4F9)(4)] led to the potassium-rich ionic compound [(SIMesP)(4)K-5][Al(OC4F9)(4)] (7).