Elucidation of a low spin cobalt(II) system in a distorted tetrahedral geometry

A series of divalent cobalt(II) complexes is prepared supported by the [PhBP3] ligand [PhBP3] = ([PhB(CH2PPh2)(sub 3)](super -)) to probe certain structural and electronic phenomena that arise from this strong field, anionic tris(phosphine) donor ligand. The solid-state structure of the complex [PhBP3] accompanied by SQUID, EPR and optical data, indicates that it is a pseudotetrahedral cobalt(II) species with a doublet ground state-the first of its type.