A versatile hard–soft N/S-ligand for metal coordination and cluster formation

Abstract

Deprotonation of the thialdiphosphazane [SPH(μ-N^tBu)]₂ with a range of metal-bases gives the stable dianion [S–P(μ-N^tBu)]₂²⁻, which is valence-isoelectronic with the widely-used [RN-P(μ-NR)]₂²⁻ ligand. Structural studies show that the new ligand has adaptable hard–soft character with respect to the coordinated metal centre and that its multidentate nature can be exploited to construct large cage architectures.