Estimating Effective Steric and Electronic Impacts of a Ferrocenyl Group in Organophosphines

A series of monodentate ferrocenylphosphines, Fc3P (1a), Fc2PhP (1b), and Fc2ArP (1c; Fc = ferrocenyl, Ar = 3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl), were prepared, and their electronic and steric properties were quantitatively determined. By the IR measurements of their respective Ni­(CO)3(phosphine) complexes, the electronic properties of the ferrocenyl group in organophosphines were estimated to be similar to those of primary alkyl groups. The ferrocenyl group is a better electron donor than a methyl group and a poorer donor than an ethyl group. The gold­(I) chloride complexes of 1a–c were prepared and their X-ray crystal structures were determined. The %Vbur parameters for 1a–c were calculated using the X-ray structural data, and their ″Tolman cone angles″ were estimated. The steric influence of the ferrocenyl group in organophosphines was clarified to be larger than those of cyclohexyl, tert-butyl, and o-tolyl groups and is comparable to that of a mesityl group.