Photooxidation of mixed aryl and biarylphosphines

Surface-Assisted Selective Air Oxidation of Phosphines Adsorbed on Activated Carbon

Trialkyl- and triarylphosphines readily adsorb onto the surface of porous activated carbon (AC) even in the absence of solvents through van der Waals interactions between the lone electron pair and the AC surface. This process has been proven by solid-state NMR techniques. Subsequently, it is demonstrated that the AC enables the fast and selective oxidation of adsorbed phosphines to phosphine oxides at ambient temperature in air. In solution, trialkylphosphines are oxidized to a variety of P(V) species when exposed to the atmosphere, while neat or dissolved triarylphosphines cannot be oxidized with air. When the trialkyl- and triarylphosphines PnBu3 (1), PEt3, (2), PnOct3 (3), PMetBu2 (4), PCy3 (5), and PPh3 (6) are adsorbed in a mono- or submonolayer on the surface of AC, in the absence of a solvent and at ambient temperature, they are quantitatively oxidized to the adsorbed phosphine oxides, 1ox-6ox, once air is admitted. No formation of any unwanted P(V) side products or water adducts is observed. The phosphine oxides can then be recovered in good yields by washing them off of the AC. The oxidation is likely facilitated by a radical activation of molecular oxygen due to delocalized electrons on the aromatic surface coating of AC, as proven by ESR. This easy and inexpensive oxidation method renders hydrogen peroxide or other oxidizers unnecessary and is broadly applicable to sterically hindered and even to air-stable triarylphosphines. Phosphines adsorbed at lower surface coverages on AC oxidize at a faster rate. All oxidation reactions were monitored by solution- and solid-state NMR spectroscopy.

Phosphorus-Ligand Redox Cooperative Catalysis: Unraveling Four-Electron Dioxygen Reduction Pathways and Reactive Intermediates

The reduction of dioxygen to water is crucial in biology and energy technologies, but it is challenging due to the inertness of triplet oxygen and complex mechanisms. Nature leverages high-spin transition metal complexes for this, whereas main-group compounds with their singlet state and limited redox capabilities exhibit subdued reactivity. We present a novel phosphorus complex capable of four-electron dioxygen reduction, facilitated by unique phosphorus-ligand redox cooperativity. Spectroscopic and computational investigations attribute this cooperative reactivity to the unique electronic structure arising from the geometry of the phosphorus complex bestowed by the ligand. Mechanistic study via spectroscopic and kinetic experiments revealed the involvement of elusive phosphorus intermediates resembling those in metalloenzymes. Our result highlights the multielectron reactivity of phosphorus compound emerging from a carefully designed ligand platform with redox cooperativity. We anticipate that the work described expands the strategies in developing main-group catalytic reactions, especially in small molecule fixations demanding multielectron redox processes.

Photochemistry of triphenylamine (TPA) in homogeneous solution and the role of transient N-phenyl-4a,4b-dihydrocarbazole. A steady-state and time-resolved investigation

Irradiation of triphenylamine with a laser pulse (355 nm) provided intermediate N-phenyl-4a,4b-tetrahydrocarbazole (DHC0) whose reactivity depends on the reaction media and atmospheres used.

31 P NMR Evidence for Peroxide Intermediates in Lipid Emulsion Photooxidations: Phosphine Substituent Effects in Trapping

Intralipid is a lipid emulsion used in photodynamic therapy (PDT) for its light scattering and tissue-simulating properties. The purpose of this study is to determine whether or not Intralipid undergoes photooxidation, and we have carried out an Intralipid peroxide trapping study using a series of phosphines [2'-dicyclohexylphosphino-2,6-dimethoxy-1,1'-biphenyl-3-sulfonate, 3-(diphenylphosphino)benzenesulfonate, triphenylphosphine-3,3',3''-trisulfonate and triphenylphosphine]. Our new findings are as follows: (1) An oxygen atom is transferred from Intralipid peroxide to the phosphine traps in the dark, after the photooxidation of Intralipid. 3-(Diphenylphosphino)benzenesulfonate is the most suitable trap in the series owing to a balance of nucleophilicity and water solubility. (2) Phosphine trapping and monitoring by 31 P NMR are effective in quantifying the peroxides in H2 O. An advantage of the technique is that peroxides are detected in H2 O; deuterated NMR solvents are not required. (3) The percent yield of the peroxides increased linearly with the increase in fluence from 45 to 180 J cm-2 based on our trapping experiments. (4) The photooxidation yields quantitated by the phosphines and 31 P NMR are supported by the direct 1 H NMR detection using deuterated NMR solvents. These data provide the first steps in the development of Intralipid peroxide quantitation after PDT using phosphine trapping and 31 P NMR spectroscopy.

Stereoselective gold(I) domino catalysis of allylic isomerization and olefin cyclopropanation: mechanistic studies

Gold(I) catalysis of olefin activation is still a rare feature in the repertoire of that metal. Mechanistic studies on the gold(I)-catalyzed cyclopropanation of allyl-substituted sulfonium ylides, including kinetic analysis as well as detailed computational studies, reveal that the reaction proceeds through activation of the alkene moiety. Furthermore, a novel competitive allylic isomerization pathway that interconverts "linear" and "branched" allylic isomers is uncovered. The subtle interplay of cyclopropanation and olefin isomerization results in an intriguing domino process where two independent catalytic transformations combine with near-perfect regio- and stereoselectivities.