Structure of Tris[2-(4-pyridyl)ethyl]phosphine, Tris[2-(2-pyridyl)ethyl]phosphine, and Their Chalcogenides in Solution: Dipole Moments, IR Spectroscopy, and DFT Study.

Tris(hetaryl)substituted phosphines and their chalcogenides are promising polydentate ligands for the design of metal complexes. An experimental and theoretical conformational analysis of tris[2-(4-pyridyl)ethyl]phosphine, tris[2-(2-pyridyl)ethyl]phosphine, and their chalcogenides was carried out by the methods of dipole moments, IR spectroscopy and DFT B3PW91/6-311++G(df,p) calculations. In solution, these compounds exist as an equilibrium of mainly non-eclipsed (synclinal or antiperiplanar) forms with a predominance of a symmetrical conformer having a gauche-orientation of the Csp3-Csp3 bonds of pyridylethyl substituents relative to the P=X bond (X = lone pair, O, S, Se) and a gauche-orientation of the pyridyl rings relative to the zigzag ethylene bridges. Regardless of the presence and nature of the chalcogen atom (oxygen, sulfur, or selenium) in the studied molecules with many axes of internal rotation, steric factors-the different position of the nitrogen atoms in the pyridyl rings and the configuration of ethylene bridges-determine the realization and spatial structure of preferred conformers.

Chemoselective synthesis of long-chain alkyl-H-phosphinic acids via one-pot alkylation/oxidation of red phosphorus with alkyl-PEGs as recyclable micellar catalysts.

Long-chain n-alkyl-H-phosphinic acids (Alk = C4-C18) are chemoselectively synthesized in yields up to 90% via the direct one-pot alkylation/oxidation of red phosphorus (Pn) in the multi-phase alkyl bromide/KOH/H2O/toluene system with alkyl-PEG recyclable micellar catalysts, which demonstrate good recyclability.

Conformational analysis and stereochemical dependences of (31)P-(1)H spin-spin coupling constants of bis(2-phenethyl)vinylphosphine and related phosphine chalcogenides.

Theoretical energy-based conformational analysis of bis(2-phenethyl)vinylphosphine and related phosphine oxide, sulfide and selenide synthesized from available secondary phosphine chalcogenides and vinyl sulfoxides is performed at the MP2/6-311G** level to study stereochemical behavior of their (31)P-(1)H spin-spin coupling constants measured experimentally and calculated at different levels of theory. All four title compounds are shown to exist in the equilibrium mixture of two conformers: major planar s-cis and minor orthogonal ones, while (31)P-(1) H spin-spin coupling constants under study are found to demonstrate marked stereochemical dependences with respect to the geometry of the coupling pathways, and to the internal rotation of the vinyl group around the P(X)-C bonds (X = LP, O, S and Se), opening a new guide in the conformational studies of unsaturated phosphines and phosphine chalcogenides.