A series of phosphine-amine and thiophosphorane-amine ligands (PR2 (X) CH2NHR′, X= lone pair, S, R= Ph, Cy, R′= tBu, Ph) differing by the nature of the phosphorus and nitrogen substituents were synthesized. Their lithiation, in order to generate the corresponding amido ligand mainly led to dissociation with formation of phosphide or thiophosphinite anion and imine. DFT calculations confirmed that this pathway is in most cases thermodynamically ...
