Syntheses and structures of strontium, barium, and europium bis(diphosphanylamido) complexes

Bis(diphosphanylamido) complexes of strontium and europium, [{(Ph(2)P)(2)N}(2)M(THF)(3)] (M = Sr (1), Eu (2)), have been prepared by reaction of [K(THF)(n)()][N(PPh(2))(2)] (n = 1.25, 1.5) and MI(2). The single-crystal X-ray structures of compounds 1 and 2 always show a eta(2) coordination of the ligand via the nitrogen and one phosphorus atom. In solution, a dynamic behavior of the ligand is observed, which is caused by the rapid exchange of the two different phosphorus atoms. As a result of the radius of the larger ion, treatment of [K(THF)(n)()][N(PPh(2))(2)] with BaI(2) gives the coordination polymer [{(Ph(2)P)(2)N}(2)Ba(THF){(Ph(2)P)(2)N}K](n)() (3). Two of the three {(Ph(2)P)(2)N}(-) ligands of compound 3 bind to the metal in eta(2) (N, P) while the third shows a heteroallylic (P, P) coordination mode. In the solid state, the infinite chain is formally held together by pi coordination of the phenyl rings to the potassium atoms.