Asymmetric Electrophilic Reactions in Phosphorus Chemistry

Enzymatic Desymmetrisation of Prochiral Phosphines and Phosphine P-Sulfides as a Route to P-Chiral Catalysts

The enzyme-catalyzed monoacetylation of prochiral bis (2-hydroxymethylphenyl)methylphosphine and bis (2-hydroxymethylphenyl)phenylphosphine and their P-sulfides gave, in one single step, as a result of desymmetrisation, the corresponding monoacetates in moderate yields and with an enantiomeric excess of 16 to 98%, depending on the substrate structure and enzyme applied. The absolute configurations of the selected products were determined by a chemical correlation. This led to the conclusion that, in the case of phosphines, phosphine oxides and phosphine sulfides enzymes preferentially produce compounds of the same spatial arrangement. The new compounds obtained will be transformed into chiral catalysts/ligands.

Palladium/Xiao-Phos-Catalyzed Kinetic Resolution of sec-Phosphine Oxides by P-Benzylation

P-stereogenic tert- and sec-phosphines have wide applications in asymmetric catalysis, materials, and pharmaceutical chemistry, however, their practical synthesis still constitutes a significant challenge. Herein, a successful kinetic resolution of rac-secondary phosphine oxides via the enantioselective P-benzylation process catalyzed by the palladium/Xiao-Phos was designed. Both tert- and sec-phosphine oxides were delivered in good yield and excellent enantiopurity (selectivity factor up to 226.1). The appealing synthetic utilities are further demonstrated by the facile preparation of several valuable P-chiral compounds, precursors of bidentate ligands, as well as transition metal complexes.

Phosphorus Compounds of Natural Origin: Prebiotic, Stereochemistry, Application

Organophosphorus compounds play a vital role as nucleic acids, nucleotide coenzymes, metabolic intermediates and are involved in many biochemical processes. They are part of DNA, RNA, ATP and a number of important biological elements of living organisms. Synthetic compounds of this class have found practical application as agrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, bioregulators, and othrs. In recent years, a large number of phosphorus compounds containing P-O, P-N, P-C bonds have been isolated from natural sources. Many of them have shown interesting biological properties and have become the objects of intensive scientific research. Most of these compounds contain asymmetric centers, the absolute configurations of which have a significant effect on the biological properties of the products of their transformations. This area of research on natural phosphorus compounds is still little-studied, that prompted us to analyze and discuss it in our review. Moreover natural organophosphorus compounds represent interesting models for the development of new biologically active compounds, and a number of promising drugs and agrochemicals have already been obtained on their basis. The review also discusses the history of the development of ideas about the role of organophosphorus compounds and stereochemistry in the origin of life on Earth, starting from the prebiotic period, that allows us in a new way to consider this most important problem of fundamental science.