Activation of Di‐tert‐butyldiphosphatetrahedrane: Access to (tBuCP)(n) (n=2, 4) Ligand Frameworks by P−C Bond Cleavage

The first mixed phosphatetrahedranes were reported only recently and their reactivity is virtually unexplored. Herein, we present a reactivity study on di‐tert‐butyldiphosphatetrahedrane (1), which is the dimer of tert‐butylphosphaalkyne. The (tBuCP)(2) tetrahedron is activated selectively by N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC) nickel(I) and nickel(0) complexes, resulting in novel complexes featuring diverse (tBuCP)(n)‐frameworks (n=2, 4). Release of the (tBuCP)(4) framework from one of the complexes was achieved by addition of CO gas. Furthermore, 1 can be used as a source for P(2) units by elimination of di‐tert‐butylacetylene in the coordination sphere of nickel.