Phosphinate chemistry in the 21st century: a viable alternative to the use of phosphorus trichloride in organophosphorus synthesis

Black Phosphorus: An Effective Feedstock for the Synthesis of Phosphorus-Based Chemicals

We propose and demonstrate the novel concept of synthesizing organophosphorus compounds directly from black phosphorus (BP) nanoparticles as the feedstock. Compounds such as alkyl phosphines, alkyl phosphine oxides, phosphine sulfide, and hexafluorophosphate anion are prepared with good isolation yields under mild conditions. Selective synthesis of primary, secondary, and tertiary organophosphorus compounds is also demonstrated utilizing this one-pot approach. Reaction mechanisms are proposed and discussed. Compared with traditional white phosphorus (P4)-based methods, the new synthetic concept and process utilizing elemental phosphorus are more efficient and environmentally friendly.

Photoredox/Cobalt-Catalyzed Phosphinyloxy Radical Addition/Cyclization Cascade: Synthesis of Phosphaisocoumarins

A novel visible-light photoredox-catalyzed phosphinyloxy radical addition/cyclization cascade of arylphosphinic acids or arylphosphonic acid monoesters with alkynes has been developed, which provides an efficient and practical access to various phosphaisocoumarins by using a dual catalytic system containing an acridinium photosensitizer and a cobaloxime proton-reducing catalyst [Co(dmgH)₂]PyCl at ambient temperature. This method has advantages of a broad substrate scope, mild condition, as well as no sacrificial oxidant.

Evaluation of Transition Metal Catalysts in Electrochemically Induced Aromatic Phosphonation

Voltammetry provides important information on the redox properties of catalysts (transition metal complexes of Ni, Co, Mn, etc.) and their activity in electrocatalytic reactions of aromatic C–H phosphonation in the presence of a phosphorus precursor, for example, dialkyl-H-phosphonate. Based on catalytic current growth of oxidation or reduction of the metal catalysts (Co^II, Mn^II, Ni^II, Mn^II/Ni^II, Mn^II/Co^II, and Co^II/Ni^II), quantitative characteristics of the regeneration of catalysts were determined, for example, for Mn^II, Ni^II and Mn^II/Ni^II, Co^II/Ni^II pairs. Calculations confirmed the previously made synthetic observations on the synergistic effect of certain metal ions in binary catalytic systems (Mn^IIbpy/Ni^IIbpy and Ni^IIbpy/Co^IIbpy); for mixtures, the observed rate constants, or TOF, were 690 s⁻¹ and 721 s⁻¹, respectively, and product yields were higher for monometallic catalytic systems (up to 71% for bimetallic catalytic systems and ~30% for monometallic catalytic systems). In some cases, the appearance of pre-waves after adding H-phosphonates confirmed the preceding chemical reaction. It also confirmed the formation of metal phosphonates in the time scale of voltammetry, oxidizing or reducing at lower potentials than the original (RO)₂P(O)H and metal complex, which could be used for fast diagnostics of metal ion and dialkyl-H-phosphonate interactions. Electrochemical transfer of an electron to (from) metal phosphonate generates a phosphonyl radical, which can then react with different arenes to give the products of aromatic C–H phosphonation.

Visible light-mediated CP bond formation reactions

Organophosphorus compounds have attracted continuous attention in materials science, agrochemical and pharmaceutical fields due to their unique bioactivities. Thus, the development of novel and robust manners for the construction new CP bond has therefore gained great interests in synthetic organic chemistry. Because of their intrinsic sustainability and green chemistry character, visible light-induced photoredox catalysis has been widely applied in the construction of new chemical bonds, including the formation of CP bond. In this review, we summarized recent achievements in CP bond formation reactions initiated by visible light-induced photoredox catalysis, which mainly focusing on the discussion of reaction design and the mechanism.

Challenges and solutions in phosphinate chemistry

Several major challenges still remain in organophosphorus chemistry. Organophosphorus compounds are currently synthesized from phosphorus trichloride (PCl3), even though the final consumer products (such as pesticides, flame-retardants, extractants) do not contain reactive phosphorus-chlorine bonds. In order to bypass phosphorus trichloride, significant interest has been devoted to functionalizing elemental phosphorus (P4, the precursor to PCl3), red phosphorus (Pred), or phosphine (PH3). Yet, phosphinates (ROP(O)H2) are already available on an industrial scale and are the most environmentally benign, but their use as phosphorus trichloride replacements has been completely overlooked until a few years ago. An overview of some of the methodologies developed in my laboratory for P–C and P–O bond-forming reactions through phosphinate chemistry, as well as some selected applications, are presented. Another significant challenge remains the synthesis of P-stereogenic compounds. My group’s recent progress in this area is also discussed. Based on menthol as an inexpensive chiral auxiliary, various menthyl phosphinates can be synthesized. These phosphinates are precursor to P-stereogenic phosphines through well-established literature transformations.

Photooxidation of triarylphosphines under aerobic conditions in the presence of a gold(iii) complex on cellulose extracted from Carthamus tinctorius immobilized on nanofibrous phosphosilicate

Triarylphosphines were converted to the corresponding oxides via photooxidation as a novel method.

Zinc-catalyzed regioselective C–P coupling of p-quinol ethers with secondary phosphine oxides to afford 2-phosphinylphenols

A highly regioselective C–P coupling reaction of p-quinol ethers with secondary phosphine oxides is developed as a new synthesis method for 2-phosphinylphenols by using Zn(OTf)₂ as the catalyst.

Enantiodivergent synthesis of 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethanes via asymmetric [3 + 2]-cycloaddition

The present work provides efficient access to chiral 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethanes (DPPEs) directly from diphosphine oxide alkenes and azomethine ylides via asymmetric [3 + 2] cycloaddition. Both enantiomers of the products can be obtained in good to excellent diastereo- and enantioselectivities (up to >20 : 1 dr and 99% ee).

On the cost of academic methodologies

Synthetic methodologies can be easily compared using the Cost of Academic Methodologies (CAM) parameter, which estimates the cost of making a mole of a product.

A copper-catalyzed radical coupling/fragmentation reaction: efficient access to β-oxophosphine oxides

The development of a novel copper-catalyzed three-component radical coupling/fragmentation cascade reaction to generate diverse β-oxophosphine oxides is reported.

All inorganic coordination polymers have been made possible with the m-carboranylphosphinate ligand

New examples of 1D coordination polymers (CPs) and complexes containing the purely inorganic carboranylphosphinate ligand [1-OPH(O)-1,7-closo-C2B10H11]- are reported. The reaction of Na[1-OPH(O)-1,7-closo-C2B10H11] salt with MCl2 (M = Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn and Cd) in MeOH or EtOH leads to compounds 1-8. All compounds have been exhaustively characterized by analytical and spectroscopic techniques. X-ray analysis and spectroscopy characterization revealed the differences between the isolated compounds: 1D polymeric chains (CPs) with carboranylphosphinate ligand bridges have been obtained with MnII, CdII or ZnII centres, whereas compounds with low nuclearity have been isolated with CuII, CoII and NiII. No polymeric structures were obtained in the CoII and NiII complexes due to the higher affinity of these metals for water than that for the m-carboranylphosphinate and accordingly, these complexes generate supramolecular hydrophobic/hydrophilic structures. The reactivity of manganese polymer 1 with water leads to the breakage of the polymer with the formation of a new mononuclear compound 2, and that in methanol leads back to the initial polymer 1. However, the reactivity of polymer 1 with 2,2'-bpy maintains the core present in the initial polymer, leading to the CP 3, which in methanol/water medium produces species of lower nuclearity. The magnetic properties of the compounds studied show weak antiferromagnetic coupling.

Improved Conjugation, 64-Cu Radiolabeling, in Vivo Stability, and Imaging Using Nonprotected Bifunctional Macrocyclic Ligands: Bis(Phosphinate) Cyclam (BPC) Chelators

Bifunctional derivatives of bis(phosphinate)-bearing cyclam (BPC) chelators bearing a carboxylate, amine, isothiocyanate, azide, or cyclooctyne in the BP side chain were synthesized. Conjugations required no protection of phosphinate or ring secondary amine groups. The ring amines were not reactive (proton protected) at pH < ∼8. For isothiocyanate coupling, oligopeptide N-terminal α-amines were more suitable than alkyl amines, e.g., Lys ω-amine (p K_a ∼7.5-8.5 and ∼10-11, respectively) due to lower basicity. The Cu-64 labeling was efficient at room temperature (specific activity ∼100 GBq/μmol; 25 °C, pH 6.2, ∼100 ligand equiv, 10 min). A representative Cu-64-BPC was tested in vivo showing fast clearance and no nonspecific radioactivity deposition. The monoclonal anti-PSCA antibody 7F5 conjugates with thiocyanate BPC derivative or NODAGA were radiolabeled and studied in PC3-PSCA tumor bearing mice by PET. The radiolabeled BPC conjugate was accumulated in the prostate tumor with a low off-target uptake, unlike Cu-64-labeled NODAGA-antibody conjugate. The BPC chelators have a great potential for theranostic applications of the Cu-64/Cu-67 matched pair.

Molecular Firefighting-How Modern Phosphorus Chemistry Can Help Solve the Challenge of Flame Retardancy

The ubiquity of polymeric materials in daily life comes with an increased fire risk, and sustained research into efficient flame retardants is key to ensuring the safety of the populace and material goods from accidental fires. Phosphorus, a versatile and effective element for use in flame retardants, has the potential to supersede the halogenated variants that are still widely used today: current formulations employ a variety of modes of action and methods of implementation, as additives or as reactants, to solve the task of developing flame-retarding polymeric materials. Phosphorus-based flame retardants can act in both the gas and condensed phase during a fire. This Review investigates how current phosphorus chemistry helps in reducing the flammability of polymers, and addresses the future of sustainable, efficient, and safe phosphorus-based flame-retardants from renewable sources.

Direct C-OH/P(O)-H dehydration coupling forming phosphine oxides

A t-BuONa-mediated C-OH/P(O)-H cross dehydration coupling to produce alkylphosphine oxides is developed. This reaction employed readily available alcohols and P(O)-H compounds as the starting materials, providing an efficient alternative method for constructing sp3 C-P bonds. A reasonable reaction path involving dehydration and subsequent regio-selective hydrophosphorylation of the resulting alkenes was proposed.

Alkenylation of C(sp3 )-H Bonds by Zincation/Copper-Catalyzed Cross-Coupling with Iodonium Salts

α-Vinylation of phosphonates, phosphine oxides, sulfones, sulfonamides, and sulfoxides has been achieved by selective C-H zincation and copper-catalyzed C(sp³ )-C(sp² ) cross-coupling reaction using vinylphenyliodonium salts. The vinylation transformation proceeds in high efficiency and stereospecificity under mild reaction conditions. This zincative cross-coupling reaction represents a general alkenylation strategy, which is also applicable for α-alkenylation of esters, amides, and nitriles in the synthesis of β,γ-unsaturated carbonyl compounds.

UV-mediated hydrophosphinylation of unactivated alkenes with phosphinates under batch and flow conditions

A UV-mediated hydrophosphinylation of unactivated alkenes with H-phosphinates and hypophosphorous acid under radical free conditions is presented. The reaction affords selectively a large number of structurally diverse organophosphorous compounds in moderate to good yields under mild reaction conditions in the presence of an organic sensitizer as catalyst irradiated by UV-A LEDs. Furthermore, the high yielding hydrophosphinylation in continuous flow is disclosed.

Organobase catalyzed straightforward synthesis of phosphinyl functionalized 2H-pyran cores from allenylphosphine oxides and 1,3-diones

A cost-effective system is revealed here to construct polyfunctionalized 2H-pyran cores containing phosphinyl groups with an organobase as a catalyst.

Visible-light-induced tandem phosphorylation cyclization of vinyl azides under mild conditions

This method provides a visible-light-induced radical tandem cyclization for the synthesis of phosphorus phenanthridines with various nitrogen-containing substrates.

Cu2O/TiO2 nanoparticles as visible light photocatalysts concerning C(sp2)–P bond formation

A novel and efficient method has been developed for the construction of an aromatic-phosphorus (Ar-P) bond under visible light irradiation using Cu₂O/TiO₂ nanoparticles as inexpensive and available photocatalysts.

Barium-catalyzed C–OH/P–H dehydrative cross-coupling for C–P bond construction

A barium-catalyzed C–OH/P–H dehydrative cross-coupling protocol for the construction of C–P bonds was developed in an environmentally benign manner.

Nucleophile-controlled mono- and bis-phosphonation of amino-2-en-1-ones via catalyst-free C(sp3)–N bond cleavage

Selective mono- and bis-phosphonation of amino-2-en-1-ones without a catalyst is developed. The selectivity is controlled by the nucleophilicity of the phosphorus sources.

Recent progress in the synthesis of phosphorus-containing indole derivatives

Phosphorus-containing indole derivatives represent a special class of phosphorus-containing nitrogen heterocycles. This review summarizes the recent progress in the synthesis of such compounds, briefly discusses the reaction mechanisms and challenges, and outlines the synthetic opportunities still open.

Metal-free electrophilic phosphination of electron-rich arenes, arenols and aromatic thiols with diarylphosphine oxides

A metal-free and mild route to aromatic organophosphorus compounds from stable phosphines.

Eosin Y-catalyzed, visible-light-promoted carbophosphinylation of allylic alcohols via a radical neophyl rearrangement

An eosin Y-catalyzed, visible-light-promoted phosphinylation-induced 1,2-rearrangement reaction of allylic alcohols to prepare various β-aryl-γ-ketophosphine oxides is presented.