Mixed sulphur\oxygen diethoxy-diphenyl-imidodiphosphinates

Reaction of (EtO)(2)P(S)NH2 with ClP(O)Ph-2 gives (EtO)(2)P(S)NHP(O)Ph-2 (1) similarly reaction of ClP(S)Ph-2 yields (EtO)(2)P(O)NHP(S)Ph-2 (2). The X-ray structures of 1 and 2 reveal P=O ... H-N hydrogen bonded structures with distinct differences in packing and conformation. Thus 1 exists with the P=S and P=O groups in a gauche or cisoid orientation with SP ... PO torsion angles of 79.5 and -69 degrees for the two independent molecules which form a hydrogen bonded chain whereas 2 is a transoid dimer with an SP ... PO torsion of 172 degrees in the solid state. ML, (M=Zn, Pd, Pt) complexes derived from 1 and 2 are also described and the X-ray structure of Zn[(EtO)(2)P(O)NP(S)Ph-2](2) is reported. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.