Iron- and cobalt-catalyzed synthesis of carbene phosphinidenes

In the presence of stoichiometric or catalytic amounts of [M{N(SiMe3)2}2] (M=Fe, Co), N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) react with primary phosphines to give a series of carbene phosphinidenes of the type (NHC)·PAr. The formation of (IMe4)·PMes (Mes=mesityl) is also catalysed by the phosphinidene-bridged complex [(IMe4)2Fe-(m-PMes)]2, which provides evidence for metal-catalysed phosphinidene transfer.