The reaction of PMe3 or PPh3 with PF5 in anhydrous CH2Cl2 or hexane forms the white, moisture-sensitive
complexes [PF5(PR3)] (R = Me, Ph). Similar reactions
involving the diphosphines o-C6H4(PR2)2 afford the complexes [PF4{o-C6H4(PR2)2}][PF6]. The X-ray structures of [PF5(PR3)] and [PF4{o-C6H4(PMe2)2}][PF6] show
pseudo-octahedral fluorophosphorus centers. Multinuclear NMR spectra
(1H, 19F{1H}, 31P{1H}) show that in solution in CH2Cl2/CD2Cl2 the structures determined crystallographically
are the only species present for [PF5(PMe3)]
and [PF4{o-C6H4(PMe2)2}][PF6] but that [PF5(PPh3)] and [PF4{o-C6H4(PPh2)2}][PF6] exhibit reversible
dissociation of the phosphine at ambient temperatures, although exchange
slows at low temperatures. The complex 19F{1H} and 31P{1H} NMR spectra have been analyzed,
including those of the cation [PF4{o-C6H4(PMe2)2}]+,
which is a second-order AA′XX′B2M spin system.
The unstable [PF5(AsMe3)], which decomposes
in a few hours at ambient temperatures, has also been isolated and
spectroscopically characterized; neither AsPh3 nor SbEt3 forms similar complexes. The electronic structures of the
PF5 complexes have been explored by DFT calculations. The
DFT optimized geometries for [PF5(PMe3)], [PF5(PPh3)], and [PF4{o-C6H4(PMe2)2}]+ are in good agreement with their respective crystal structure geometries.
DFT calculations on the PF5-L complexes reveal the P–L
bond strength falls with L in the order PMe3 > PPh3 > AsMe3, consistent with the experimentally
observed stabilities, and in the PF5-L complexes, electron
transfer from L to PF5 on forming these complexes also
follows the order PMe3 > PPh3 ≈ AsMe3.