Stimuli-Responsive Frustrated Lewis-Pair-Type Reactivity of a Tungsten Iminoazaphosphiridine Complex

Reactions of 3-imino-azaphosphiridine complexes 1 a,b with carbodiimides 2 a,b, isocyanates 3 a,b, and carbon dioxide are described. Whereas exchange of the carbodiimide unit occurs in the first case, an overall ring expansion takes place with phenyl isocyanate (3 a) and carbon dioxide to yield complexes 4 and 5 bearing novel 1,3,5-oxazaphospholane ligands; the isopropyl derivative 3 b did not react under these conditions. DFT calculations provide insight into the pathway of the reaction with carbon dioxide with model complex 1 c, revealing effects of initial non-covalent interactions with the substrate onto the ring bonding, thus triggering an initially masked frustrated Lewis-pair-type behavior.