Phosphorus derivatives of anthracene and their dimers

The syntheses of the (9‐anthracenyl)phosphanes 2 to 7 and of the metal carbonyl complexes 8 and 9 are described. Both 1 and 4 undergo [4 + 4] cycloaddition when irradiated, forming the dimers 10 and 11 . Only one of the six possible rotamers for 10 is formed. For 11 one additional rotational isomer is observed. The relationship between the [4 + 4] dimerization and steric effects of the PR 2 group is discussed. The compounds 6, 8 and 11 were characterized by X‐ray diffraction. The structure of 6 was rendered imprecise by the presence of disordered toluene, but the influence of the bulky anthracenyl groups was clear, with wide CPC angles of 110.4°. The molecule displays imposed threefold symmetry. The two independent molecules of complex 8 , which crystallizes as a dichloromethane hemisolvate, are closely similar to each other; the WP bond lengths are 254.3 and 253.4 pm. The WC bonds trans to phosphorus are 4 pm shorter than those cis . The phosphane dimer 11 crystallizes with imposed centrosymmetry. The H atom positions, which could be tentatively identified from difference syntheses, indicate a different rotamer than was formed for the analogous fluorophosphane dimer 10 .