Synthesis and Hydrolytic Studies on the Air-Stable [(4-CN-PhO)(E)P(μ-NtBu)]2 (E = O, S, and Se) Cyclodiphosphazanes

Reaction of 4-CN-PhOH with [ClP(mu-(NBu)-Bu-t)](2) (1) (2:1 ratio) in the presence of Et3N produced the functionalized cydodiphosph(III/III)azane [(4-CN-PhO)P-(mu-(NBu)-Bu-t)](2) (2). Oxidation of 2 produced cydodiphosph(V/V)azanes [(4-CN-PhO)(E)P(mu-(NBu)-Bu-t)](2) [E = O (3), S (4), and Se (5)]. This is the first example of a series of cydodiphosph(V/V)azane derivatives obtained from a single cydophosph(III/III)azane precursor where all the accessible chalcogen oxidized products are air-stable over prolonged periods of time.