Metal atoms trifluorophosphine

Trifluorophosphine is a very convenient ligand in metal atom chemistry to use along with other ligands, e.g., in the stabilization of metal arene complexes (Section III,B). Reaction of a mixture of PF3 and PH3 with nickel vapor yields Ni(PF3)3PH3 and Ni(PF3)2(PH3)2 but no Ni(PH3)4. Attempts to make Ni(PH3)4 lead to hydrogen evolution from the ligand during or after condensation with the nickel vapor (128). 

Structural and/or spectroscopic investigations have shown that the local symmetries around the metal atoms in the M(PF3)4 (189,215), M(PF3)5(2), and M(PF3)6 compounds are Td, D3h, and Oh, respectively. Unfortunately theoretical studies on trifluorophosphine complexes are confined to CNDO/2 calculations on Ni(PF3)4, Fe(PF3)5, and Cr(PF3)6 (251). In view of the discussion of relaxation effects and basis set dependences presented in Section II the CNDO/2 results (Table XXVI) should be used only as a qualitative guide to spectral assignment. 

Alternatively by treating trifluorophosphine complexes with barium hydroxide in tetrahydrofuran, one fluorine atom can be replaced, and barium salts containing anionic fluorophosphine-transition metal com-... 

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