Macrocyclic ligands—continued syntheses

Apart from this one-reaction type, the routine use of metal template procedures for obtaining a wide range of macrocyclic systems stems from 1960 when Curtis discovered a template reaction for obtaining an isomeric pair of Ni(n) macrocyclic complexes (Curtis, 1960). Details of this reaction are discussed later in this chapter. The template synthesis of these complexes marked the beginning of renewed interest in macrocyclic ligand chemistry which continues to the present day. 

The reactions of lithiophosphide reagents with alkyl halides or sulphonate esters have continued to find wide application in the synthesis of new phosphines. A series of phosphino-ethers, e.g., (22), has been prepared from the reactions of chloromethyl-substituted ethers with lithium diphenylphosphide. " A one-step synthesis of macrocyclic phosphino-ethers and -thioethers (23) is afforded by the reactions of dilithio-organophosphides with bis(j8-chloroethyl)-ethers and -thioethers derived from ethane-1,2-diol and ethane-1,2-dithiol, respectively. " A new family of water soluble phosphonio-phosphine ligands (24) has been prepared by the reaction of a,o)-dihaloalkanes with one mole of lithium diphenylphosphide, followed by quatemisation of the intermediate w-haloalkylphosphine with trimethylphosphine. The new ligand system (25) has been prepared by the reaction of chloromethylbenzene-chromium tricarbonyl with... 

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