Multicomponent Synthesis of Poly(α-aminophosphine chalcogenide)s and Subsequent Depolymerization.

Multicomponent reactions of primary phosphines (R-PH), diimines (R'-N═C(H)-R-(H)C═N-R'), and chalcogens (O, S) generate poly(α-aminophosphine chalcogenide)s (-) through step-growth polymerization. Characterization of the linear polymers using P{H} diffusion-ordered NMR spectroscopy (DOSY) experiments aided in determining the molecular weight () 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 () starting materials, with concomitant reduction of diimine to diamine ().