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 (Mw) 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).