Synthesis and characterization of pentakis(dimethylphosphanyl)cymantrene [Mn{C5(PMe2)5}(CO)3], the first cyclopentadienyl complex with five phosphanyl substituents †

Abstract
Treatment of the highly reactive [Mn(C5Cl3Li2)(CO)3] with PPh2Cl or PEt2Cl gave the 1,3-bis(phosphanyl)cymantrenes [Mn{C5Cl3(PR2)2}(CO)3] (R = Ph, 1 or Et 2). The stepwise repeated reaction of [Mn(C5Br5)(CO)3] with nBuLi and PMe2Cl yielded a 4∶1 mixture of [Mn{C5H(PMe2)4}(CO)3] 3 and [Mn{C5(PMe2)5}(CO)3] 4, from which the latter can be isolated in 10% yield. A structure determination of 4 shows a planar cyclopentadienyl ring with a “paddle wheel” conformation of the five PMe2 substituents.