Multicomponent Synthesis of Poly(α-aminophosphine chalcogenide)s and Subsequent Depolymerization

Multicomponent reactions of primary phosphines (R–PH2), diimines (R′–NC­(H)–R–(H)­CN–R′), and chalcogens (O2, S8) generate poly­(α-aminophosphine chalcogenide)­s (4–7) through step-growth polymerization. Characterization of the linear polymers using 31P­{1H} diffusion-ordered NMR spectroscopy (DOSY) experiments aided in determining the molecular weight (M w) of the material. Subjecting the polyphosphine oxide or sulfide to reducing conditions in the presence of a Lewis acid resulted in complete depolymerization of the polymers, quantitatively releasing the 1° phosphine and diimine (2) starting materials, with concomitant reduction of diimine to diamine (9)