P,N-heterocyclic germylene : synthesis and reactivity

The synthesis and reactivity of a new P,N-heterocyclic germylene, stabilized by a phosphanylidene-phosphorane moiety, are the subjects of this work. In the first chapter, a bibliographic study resumes the state of the art of principal main-group systems capable to activate small molecules, such as H2, NH3, ethylene, etc. following similar activation mechanism that those of transition metal complexes. The second chapter present the synthesis and full characterization of stable phosphaketenes functionalized germylenes supported by different phosphine ligands. These derivatives are thermally labile and easily undergo thermal decarbonylation, affording the corresponding transient germylene-phosphinidene. The evolution of these intermediates is strongly related to the nature of the phosphine ligand coordinated to the Ge(II) centre and, in the case of the germylene stabilized by the bulkier four-membered cyclic diamino-phosphine, the phosphine ligand migrates from the germanium to the phosphorus atom to form a new six-membered cyclic germylene. The study of this P,N-heterocyclic germylene is the main subject in the thirds chapter. This germylene presents a small HOMO-LUMO energy gap due to the stabilization provided by the phosphanilidene-phosphorane fragment. As a consequence, it presents an enhanced reactivity compared to that of classical N-heterocyclic germylenes, where the singlet-triplet energy gap is larger. The reactivity of this new germylene, as well as its coordination ability towards Lewis acids, will be discussed. In the fourth chapter, a stable adduct of the P,N-heterocyclic germylene with a bulky borane will be experimental and theoretically studied. Due to the presence of multiple reactive sites in this germylene-borane complex, it behaves as a multiple-activation system towards small molecules. Its use as catalyst in some organic transformations will be also presented.