1 Ammonium Phenylphosphonamidodiselenoates and Phenylphosphonamidodi-selenoic Diamides from the Selenation of Primary and Secondary Amines

Abstract. By reacting two equivalents of primary or secondary amines with 2,4-bis(phenyl)-1,3-diselenadiphosphetane-2,4-diselenide (Woollins ’ reagent) at room temperature a series of new ammonium phenylphosphonamidodiselenoates 1 – 7 have been obtained in good to excellent yields (70 – 99%). The first metal complex of phenylphosphonamidodiselenoate, the complex of Cd2L4 (L = [Se2PPh(NCH(CH3)2]) 8, has been prepared from the reaction of diisopropylamine N-isopropyl-P-phenylphosphonamidodiselenoate with Cd(CH3COO)2 in dichloromethane. Upon heating to 130ºC the ammonium phenylphosphonamidodiselenoates lose hydrogen selenide leading to give the corresponding phenylphosphonamidodiselenoic diamides 9 – 11 in almost quantitative yields. The same products 9 – 11 can also be prepared directly from the reaction of primary amines with Woollins ’ reagent in refluxing toluene. Three representative X-ray structures are described