Cleavage of the Inert C(sp2)-Ar σ-Bond of Alkenes by a Spatial Constrained Interaction with Phosphinidene.

[1 + 2] cycloaddition is a classical reaction between the electrophilic phosphinidene and an alkene. However, a spatial constraint blocks this well-known reaction and enables an unprecedented chemoselective C(sp2)-Ar σ-bond insertion of the alkene. The theoretical calculations demonstrate that this C-C bond cleavage is energetically feasible and thermodynamically favored through an electrophilic rearrangement and concomitant 1,9-aryl migration without involving any strained intermediate.

Concise Synthesis of Phospholene and Its P-Stereogenic Derivatives.

A simple method to build phospholene derivatives has been achieved in a one-pot reaction with readily available o-alkynylaryl bromides and alkylphosphine oxides. This method is also applicable to synthesize P-stereogenic phospholenes, and the resulting chiral phosphine was utilized as a ligand for coordination chemistry.

Copper(i)/Ganphos catalysis: enantioselective synthesis of diverse spirooxindoles using iminoesters and alkyl substituted methyleneindolinones.

A copper-catalyzed asymmetric 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of glycine iminoesters with alkyl substituted 3-methylene-2-oxindoles is described. By using de novo design of P-stereogenic phosphines as ligands, spiro[pyrrolidin-3,3'-oxindole]s are generated in good to excellent yields with high asymmetric induction. A further reduced catalyst loading of 0.1 mol% is sufficient to achieve a satisfactory enantioselectivity of 90% ee. The DFT calculations suggest the second Michael addition of the 1,3-dipole to be the rate- and enantio-determining step. A key feature of this 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition is the wide substrate applicability, even with alkyl aldehyde-derived azomethine ylide; thus it has streamlined a highly enantioselective access to a new class of antiproliferative agents, MDM2-p53.

Enantioselective synthesis of indanone spiro-isochromanone derivatives via a dinuclear zinc-catalyzed Michael/transesterification tandem reaction.

An enantioselective Michael/transesterification tandem reaction of α-hydroxy indanones with ortho-ester chalcones was realized using dinuclear zinc catalysts. A series of enantiomerically pure spiro[indanone-2,3'-isochromane-1-one] derivatives were obtained in good yields with excellent stereoselectivities (up to >20 : 1 dr, up to >99% ee). This protocol could be conducted on a gram scale without affecting its stereoselectivities. In addition, the absolute stereochemistry of the products was determined by X-ray crystallographic analysis of 3ac, and a positive nonlinear effect was observed. Finally, a possible catalytic cycle was proposed to explain the origin of the enantioselectivity.

Transition-Metal-Like Reversible Cycloadditions of [tBuSP-W(CO)5 ] with Alkenes and Alkynes.

tert-Butylthiophosphinidene complex [tBuSP-W(CO)5 ] was generated by dissociation of 1-(tert-butylthio)phosphirane-W(CO)5 complex under mild conditions. The formation of transient [tBuSP-W(CO)5 ] was indicated by trapping reactions with 2,3-dimethyl-1,3-butadiene, alkynes, phenanthrene-9,10-dione, and methanol. The LUMO of [MeSP-W(CO)5 ] is significantly lower in energy than those of [Me2 NP-W(CO)5 ], [MeOP-W(CO)5 ], and [Me2 PP-W(CO)5 ]. The HOMO of [MeSP-W(CO)5 ] contains a significant contribution from the in-plane lone pair of P and the LUMO shows a typical π* characteristic. Since stabilized by sulfur lone pair and coordinated by W(CO)5 , [tBuSP-W(CO)5 ] undergoes facile and reversible cycloadditions with alkenes and alkynes.

Access to Chiral 2,5-Pyrrolidinyl Dispirooxindoles via Dinuclear Zinc-Catalyzed Asymmetric Cascade Reactions.

A series of new nonsymmetric semi-azacrown ether ligands were developed and applied to the asymmetric Michael/cyclic keto-imine formation/Friedel-Crafts alkylation reactions of 3-amino oxindole hydrochlorides and ß,γ-unsaturated α-keto amides. A diversity of 2,5-pyrrolidinyl dispirooxindoles containing two nonadjacent spiro-quaternary stereocenters were obtained in excellent diastereoselectivities and moderate to excellent enantioselectivities (up to 95% ee). A possible catalytic cycle was proposed to explain the origin of the asymmetric induction.

The Chemistry of 1-Acylphosphirane Complexes: A Phosphorus Analogue of the Cloke-Wilson Rearrangement.

The stabilization of a phosphirane ring by complexation to tungsten pentacarbonyl allows the emergence of the Cloke-Wilson rearrangement in 1-acylphosphirane complexes around 130 °C. Contrary to the cyclopropane case, this transformation of the 1-acylphosphirane to the 1,3-oxaphosphol-3-ene complexes is reversible. It is favored by a 2-phenyl, and even a 2-vinyl substitution. The 1,3-oxaphosphol-3-ene complexes are trapped by conjugated dienes.

Isomerization of Secondary Phosphirane into Terminal Phosphinidene Complexes: An Analogy between Monovalent Phosphorus and Transition Metals.

Secondary phosphirane complexes isomerize above 100 °C to give the corresponding terminal phosphinidene complexes, which can be trapped by alkenes and alkynes. This reaction is a rare instance of the isomerization of a P(III) derivative into a P(I) derivative. It appears to mimic the reductive elimination of alkanes from transition-alkylmetal hydrides.

Synthesis of annelated phospholes through intramolecular C-H activation by monovalent phosphorus.

Electrophilic terminal phosphinidene complexes [Ar-Ar-P-W(CO)5 ] (Ar-Ar: biaryl or an analogue thereof) undergo a spontaneous insertion of the phosphorus atom into the vicinal CH bonds to give annelated phospholes. Twelve examples are described, including biphenyl, thienyl, pyrrolyl, and benzofuryl groups as biaryl moieties. The activation energy of the insertion reaction is quite low (about 2 kcal mol(-1) ).

1,2-dihydrophosphete: a platform for the molecular engineering of electroluminescent phosphorus materials for light-emitting devices.

The discovery and molecular engineering of novel electroluminescent materials is still a challenge in optoelectronics. In this work, the development of new π-conjugated oligomers incorporating a dihydrophosphete skeleton is reported. Variation of the substitution pattern of 1,2-dihydrophosphete derivatives and chemical modification of their P atoms afford thermally stable derivatives, which are suitable emitters to construct organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). The optical and electrochemical properties of these new P-based oligomers have been investigated in detail and are supported by DFT calculations. The OLED devices exhibit good performance and current-independent CIE coordinates.

The conversion of furans into phosphinines.

The [4+2] cycloadducts between furan compounds and a methylenechlorophosphane pentacarbonyltungsten complex are converted into the corresponding 2-hydroxy- or 2-bromophosphinine complexes by treatment with BBr(3) and triethylamine. The X-ray crystal structure of the parent 2-phosphaphenol complex shows that the hydroxy substituent is coplanar with the ring and that the conjugation between the π lone pair of electrons on the oxygen atom and the ring leads to lengthening of the P-C(OH) bond. This complex is methylated at the phosphorus atom by methyl iodide with disruption of the ring aromaticity. The complex is further silylated, acylated, and triflated at the oxygen atom with retention of the aromatic structure, and decomplexation by 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)propane (DPPE) leads to the free parent 2-phosphaphenol. The comparison of the X-ray crystallographic structural analysis of the 2-bromophosphinine complex with an earlier structure of the analogous 2-chlorophosphinine complex suggests that 2-bromo species is a better ligand than 2-chlorophosphinine. When the [4+2] adducts are treated with BBr(3) and water, a 2-hydroxy-3-bromo-1,2,3,6-tetrahydrophosphinine derivative is obtained, which yields a seven-membered 2,1-phosphaoxepin when treated with an amine.

Nonbenzenoid aromaticity of 1-phosphafulvenes: synthesis of phosphacymantrenes.

The coordination chemistry of 1-phosphafulvenes was investigated by employing their [6 + 4] adducts or α-C2-bridged biphospholes as a precursor. Unbridged phosphacymantrenes arise from 1-phosphafulvenes via proton abstraction. α-C2-bridged biphosphacymantrenes are probably yielded by the reductive coupling of 1-phosphafulvene with Mn2(CO)10. The coordination behavior of 1-phosphafulvenes is comparable to that of pentafulvenes, which again demonstrates the phosphorus-carbon analogy in low-coordinate organophosphorus chemistry.

1,1-Addition of α-C2-Bridged Biphospholes with Alkynes.

An unusual chemoselective 1,1-addition of α-C2-bridged biphospholes to terminal alkynes is reported. The developed protocol provides simple access to the unknown 1,3-diphosphepines, which has potential applications in the coordination and catalyst chemistry. Their Pd and Mo complexes were studied by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. This method features excellent chemoselectivity, high step and atom economy, mild reaction conditions, and wide substrate scope.

The chemistry of phosphirane-substituted phosphinidene complexes.

Thermolysis of the 1,1'-biphosphirane pentacarbonylmetal complex offers access to 3,4-dihydro-1,2-diphosphete and diphosphorus (P2) intermediates. A control reaction proves that this step-wise reaction is initiated by the dissociation of a W(CO)5 group. DFT calculations predict that further transformations proceed via a transient phosphiranylphosphinidene complex. The formation of the 3,4-dihydro-1,2-diphosphete derivative is thermodynamically favored, while a kinetic process provides the diphosphorus (P2) complex.

Generation and trapping of a terminal chlorophosphinidene complex.

The system (1-chloro-3,4-dimethylphosphole)pentacarbonyltungsten + dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate generates (chlorophosphinidene)pentacarbonyltungsten at 60-70 degrees C via the 7-phosphanorbornadiene complex. This phosphinidene reacts with alkynes, alkenes, and conjugated dienes to give the corresponding chlorophosphirene, chlorophosphirane, and chlorophospholene complexes. A single isomer has been obtained in the cyclohexene case.

The abnormal hydrolysis of 7-phosphanorbornenium salts: a case of phosphonium-phosphenium equivalence.

The hydrolysis of a phosphanorbornenium triflate gives the expected tertiary phosphine oxide by cleavage of one P-C bond of the bridge in the presence of triethylamine but affords the secondary phosphine oxide by cleavage of the two P-C bonds of the bridge in the presence of alpha-picoline.

Phosphole-N-phenylmaleimide [4+2] cycloadducts as synthetic equivalents of nucleophilic phosphinidenes.

Using 1-R-3,4-dimethylphosphole-N-phenylmaleimide cycloadducts as synthetic equivalents of phosphinidenes [R-P], the following sequence has been developed: [R-P] + R(1)X --> RR(1)PX --> RR(1)P-OR(2).

Zwitterionic nido-Carborane-Fused Phospholes.

Using readily available and easy-to-handle reagents, a novel type of nido-carborane-fused phosphole was obtained from a simple procedure. Its crystallographic structure was determined, and DFT calculations have been performed, unraveling the key influence of the zwitterionic structure on the photophysical properties.

P-Stereogenic Phosphines Directed Copper(I)-Catalyzed Enantioselective 1,3-Dipolar Cycloadditions.

A new pair of P-stereogenic ligands with multiple chiral centers were synthesized and used in the copper(I)-catalyzed enatioselective [3 + 2] cycloaddition of iminoesters with alkenes. A variety of highly functionalized pyrrolidines were obtained in excellent yield and enatioselectivity. This is the first example of a pair of P-stereogenic ligands working as pseudoenantiomers to tune the enantio- and diastereoselective 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition, and providing a pair of enantiomerically pure pyrrolidines, respectively.

An approach to 7-aza-1-phosphanorbornane complexes: strain promoted rearrangement of 1-iminylphosphirane complexes and cycloaddition with olefins.

1-Iminylphosphirane W(CO)5 complexes react with alkenes under an atmosphere of CO at 130 °C to form the original 7-aza-1-phosphanorbornane complexes. The reaction works well with both electron-rich and electron-poor alkenes. On the basis of DFT calculations, we propose a mechanism including the rearrangement of phosphirane into a dipolar five-membered ring and the following cycloaddition of this dipolar intermediate with alkenes.