Insertion of phenyl isothiocyanate into a P-P bond of a nickel-substituted bicyclo[1.1.0]tetraphosphabutane.

A new reaction mode for bicyclo[1.1.0]tetraphosphabutanes is reported. The C[double bond, length as m-dash]S and C[double bond, length as m-dash]N bonds of phenyl isothiocyanate reversibly insert into a P-P bond of [{CpNi(IMes)}2(μ-η(1):η(1)-P4)] (, IMes = 1,3-bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)imidazolin-2-ylidene), forming isomers and . X-ray crystallography and (31)P{(1)H} NMR spectroscopy revealed similar bicyclo[3.1.0]heterohexane structures for these compounds.