Sodium in liquid ammonia—a versatile tool in modifications of arylphosphine oxides

Evaluation and Development of Methodologies for the Synthesis of Thiophosphinic Acids

Thiophosphorus acids R¹R²P(S)OH constitute an important class of organophosphorus compounds, in which the phosphorus atom is intrinsically chiral if R¹ ≠ R². In connection with a project aimed at the preparation of chiral thiophosphorus acids, various available literature methods were considered, but few fit the requirement of odorless reagents. Herein, the results of our studies on the synthesis of thiophosphinic acids are reported. Ultimately, two major approaches were selected: (1) the Stec reaction of phosphorus amides with carbon disulfide; and (2) the one-pot synthesis of thiophosphorus acids from H-phosphinates, an organometallic nucleophile, and quenching with elemental sulfur. An application to the preparation of a potential chiral phosphorus organocatalyst is also reported.

Conversion of triphenylphosphine oxide to organophosphorus via selective cleavage of C-P, O-P, and C-H bonds with sodium

For over half a century, thousands of tons of triphenylphosphine oxide Ph₃P(O) have been produced every year from the chemical industries as a useless chemical waste. Here we disclose efficient transformations of Ph₃P(O) with cheap resource-abundant metallic sodium finely dispersed in paraffin oil. Ph₃P(O) can be easily and selectively transformed to three reactive organophosphorus intermediates-sodium diphenylphosphinite, sodium 5H-benzo[b]phosphindol-5-olate and sodium benzo[b]phosphindol-5-ide-that efficiently give the corresponding functional organophosphorus compounds in good yields. These functional organophosphorus compounds are difficult to prepare but highly industrially useful compounds. This may allow Ph₃P(O) to be used as a precious starting material for highly valuable phosphorus compounds.

P-Arylation of secondary phosphine oxides catalyzed by nickel-supported nanoparticles

Nickel-supported nanoparticles were used as catalysts for ligand-free Hirao coupling between secondary phosphine oxides and aryl halides.

Diastereoselective desymmetrization of diarylphosphinous acid-borane amides under Birch reduction

Treatment of diarylphosphinous acid-borane amides possessing chiral amido functionality with an alkali metal solution in liquid ammonia induced a preferential dearomatization of one aryl substituent at phosphorus leading to the formation of non-equimolar amounts of diastereomers. Diastereoselectivity of dearomatization depends strongly on the structure of a chiral auxiliary.

A “green” variation of the Hirao reaction: the P–C coupling of diethyl phosphite, alkyl phenyl-H-phosphinates and secondary phosphine oxides with bromoarenes using a P-ligand-free Pd(OAc)2 catalyst under microwave and solvent-free conditions

The general value of the title reaction affording diethyl arylphosphonates, alkyl diphenylphosphinates and tertiary phosphine oxides was demonstrated.