Contorting the hetero phosphaquinoid: synthesis and electronic insights into a non-planar, ferrocenyl phosphaquinoid

Abstract

We report a highly contorted phosphaquinoid by substituting one of the exocyclic CC bonds of an anthraquinodimethane unit with a phosphaalkene unit (–CP-Mes*, Mes* = 2,4,6-tri-^tbutylbenzene) and end-capping the opposite terminus with ‘C(Fc)Ph’. Both isomers (E,Z) exhibit butterfly-like distortion of the anthracene core and demonstrate remarkable stability towards air and moisture.