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Quaternary phosphonium compounds (QPCs) and phosphine oxides (POs) are emerging contaminants that are attracting increasing attention. In the present study, a method for the quantification of QPCs and POs in multiple environmental media was developed using ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). Analytes were extracted from water samples using solid phase extraction, and for the solid samples, ultrasonic extraction was employed. Compared with analytical methods established by previous studies, the approach developed in this study is more suitable for the quantitative analysis of compounds along with high sensitivity. The method quantification limit reached 0.12-2.55 ng⋅L -1 in water samples and 0.004-0.10 ng⋅g -1 in solid samples. The recoveries of target analytes spiked at low, medium and high concentrations in water and solid samples were in the range of 56.4-120 %, with relative standard deviations below 20 % (n = 6). Furthermore, the validated method succeeded in applying to analyse of eight QPCs and four POs in real environmental samples. At least five QPCs and two POs were detected in each environmental medium. This quantitative method would assist in further investigations on the occurrence, migration and the source of QPCs and POs., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Broadening the scope of functionalities that can be covalently bound to single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) is crucial for enhancing the versatility of this promising nanomaterial class in applied settings. Here we report the covalent linkage of triphenylphosphine oxide [Ph 3 P(O)] to SWCNTs, a hitherto overlooked surface functionality. We detail the synthesis and structural characterization of a new family of phosphine oxide-functionalized diaryliodonium salts that can facilitate direct Ph 3 P(O) transfer and afford novel SWCNTs with tunable Ph 3 P(O) content (SWCNT-P). The molecularly-distributed and robust nature of the covalent Ph 3 P(O) attachment in SWCNT-P was supported by a combination of characterization methods including Raman, infrared, UV/Vis-NIR and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopies coupled with thermogravimetric analysis. Electron microscopy further revealed the effectiveness of the Ph 3 P(O) moiety for de-bundling SWCNTs to yield SWCNT-P with superior dispersibility and processability. Finally, electrochemical studies established that SWCNT-P is sensitive to the presence of Li + , Na + and K + wherein the Gutmann-Beckett Lewis acidity parameters of the ions were quantitatively transduced by Ph 3 P(O) to electrochemical responses. This work hence presents a synthetic, structural, spectroscopic and electrochemical foundation for a new phosphorus-enriched responsive nanomaterial platform featuring the Ph 3 P(O) functionality., (© 2024 The Authors. Angewandte Chemie International Edition published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Using a straightforward sequence of diphosphonylation and a Pd-catalysed concerted-metalation-deprotonation (CMD), a synthetic strategy towards polyaromatic phosphorus containing heterocycles was developed. Herein, we report the synthesis and characterization of new azaphosphaphenalenes, using easily accessible palladium catalysts and starting materials. The key tetrahydroquinoline intermediates of the reaction were synthesised via a fast and effective procedure and could be isolated as such, or further reacted towards the target polyaromatic structures. The obtained products showed interesting luminescent properties and their emission, excitation and quantum yields were evaluated., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Upon film growth by physical vapor deposition, the preferential orientation of polar organic molecules can result in a nonzero permanent dipole moment (PDM) alignment, causing a macroscopic film polarization. This effect, known as spontaneous orientation polarization (SOP), was studied in the case of different phosphine oxides (POs). We investigate the control of SOP by molecular design and film-growth conditions. Our results show that using less polar POs with just one phosphor-oxygen bond yields an exceptionally high degree of SOP with the so-called giant surface potential (slope), reaching more than 150 mV nm -1 in a neat bis-4-( N -carbazol(yl)phenyl)phenyl phosphine oxide (BCPO) film grown at room temperature. Additionally, by altering the evaporation rate and substrate temperature, we are able to control the SOP magnitude over a broad range from 0 to almost 300 mV nm -1 . Diluting BCPO in a nonpolar host enhances the PDM alignment only marginally, but combining temperature control with dipolar doping can result in highly aligned molecules with more than 80% of their PDMs standing upright on the substrate on average.

Herein, we developed the recyclable ligand-free iridium (Ir)-hydride based Ir 0 nanoparticles (NPs) for the first regioselective partial hydrogenation of P V -substituted naphthalenes. Both the isolated and in situ generated NPs are catalytically active. A control nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) study revealed the presence of metal-surface-bound hydrides, most likely formed from Ir 0 species. A control NMR study confirmed that hexafluoroisopropanol as a solvent was accountable for substrate activation via hydrogen bonding. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy of the catalyst supports the formation of ultrasmall NPs, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirmed the dominance of Ir 0 in the NPs. The catalytic activity of NPs is broad as showcased by highly regioselective aromatic ring reduction in various phosphine oxides or phosphonates. The study also showcased a novel pathway toward preparing bis(diphenylphosphino)-5,5',6,6',7,7',8,8'-octahydro-1,1'-binaphthyl (H 8 -BINAP) and its derivatives without losing enantioselectivity during catalytic events., (© 2023 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

The design and synthesis of a type of [1 + 4 + 2] four-layer framework have been conducted by taking advantage of Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling and group-assisted purification (GAP) chemistry. The optimized coupling of double-layer diboronic esters with 1-bromo-naphth-2-yl phosphine oxides resulted in a series of multilayer folding targets, showing a broad scope of substrates and moderate to excellent yields. The final products were purified using group-assisted purification chemistry/technology, achieved simply by washing crude products with 95% EtOH without the use of chromatography and recrystallization. The structures were fully characterized and assigned by performing X-ray crystallographic analysis. UV-vis absorption, photoluminescence (PL), and aggregation-induced emission (AIE) were studied for the resulting multilayer folding products., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The authors declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision., (Copyright © 2023 Zhang, Chen, Wang, Yan and Li.)

Condensation of BINAPO-(PhCHO) 2 and 1,3,5-tris(4-aminophenyl)benzene (TAPB) results in a new imine-based chiral organic material (COM) that can be further post-functionalized through reductive transformation of imine linkers to amines. While the imine-based material does not show the necessary stability to be used as a heterogeneous catalyst, the reduced amine-linked framework can be efficiently employed in asymmetric allylation of different aromatic aldehydes. Yields and enantiomeric excesses found are comparable to those observed for the molecular BINAP oxide catalyst, but importantly, the amine-based material also permits its recyclability.

We describe regio- and enantioselective bromocyclization of difluoroalkenes catalyzed by chiral bisphosphine oxides. Owing to the simultaneous activation of both the brominating reagent and amide substrate, the desired cyclization reaction proceeds smoothly even at low temperature to provide bromodifluoromethyl-containing oxazolines with a chiral quaternary center in a highly enantioselective fashion (up to 99% ee). This protocol features the use of commercially available brominating reagents and readily accessible chiral catalysts. The regioselectivity and enantioselectivity are influenced by the catalyst structure, the brominating reagent, and the reaction temperature. Under the optimal conditions, 5-exo cyclization proceeds preferentially compared with 6-endo cyclization, depending on the electronic properties of the alkene substrates. A gram-scale synthesis of chiral oxazoline was achieved with as little as 1 mol % of the catalyst., (© 2023 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

β-Hydrazonophosphine oxides are precursors of useful organophosphorus compounds, including phosphorylated N -heterocycles, α-aminophosphonates, and vinylphosphonates. In this work, a general transition metal-free synthesis of β-hydrazonophosphine oxides was developed. The method relies on the Michael addition of phosphine oxides R 2 P(O)H to reactive azoalkenes (1,2-diaza-1,3-butadienes), which are generated in situ from α-halohydrazones and Hunig's base. The reaction stereoselectively leads to Z -isomers of β-hydrazonophosphine oxides that are stabilized by intramolecular hydrogen bonding. The conversion of the products thus obtained into potential chelating ligands was showcased., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Kokuev and Sukhorukov.)

Phosphinylidenes are an important class of organophosphorus compounds that can exhibit tautomerization between tricoordinated P(III) hydroxide (R 1 R 2 POH) and a pentacoordinated P(V) oxide (R 1 R 2 P(O)H) form. Herein we show, using the canonical variational transition state theory combined with multidimensional small-curvature tunneling approximation, the dominance of proton tunneling in the two-water-bridged tautomerizations of phosphinous acid and model phosphinylidenes comprising phosphosphinates, H-phosphonates, H-phosphinates and secondary phosphine oxides. Based on the studied system, the contribution of thermally-activated tunneling is predicted to speed up the semiclassical reaction rate by ca. threefold to as large as two orders of magnitude at 298.15 K in the gas phase. The large KIE and the concavity in the Arrhenius plots are further fingerprints of tunneling. The simulations also predicted that the rapid tunneling rate and short half-life span for the forward reaction, as opposed to the reverse reaction in fluorinated secondary phosphine oxides, would result in P(V) being elusive and only P(III) being isolable, which agrees with previous experiments where only P(III) was detected by IR and NMR spectroscopy. We also explored the role of solvent and predicted tunneling to be substantial., (© 2022 The Authors. ChemPhysChem published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

The activation of C-H bond, and its direct one-step functionalization, is one of the key synthetic methodologies that provides direct access to a variety of practically significant compounds. Particular attention is focused on modifications obtained at the final stages of the synthesis of complicated molecules, which requires high tolerance to the presence of existing functional groups. Phosphorus is an indispensable element of life, and phosphorus chemistry is now experiencing a renaissance due to new emerging applications in medicinal chemistry, materials chemistry (polymers, flame retardants, organic electronics, and photonics), agricultural chemistry (herbicides, insecticides), catalysis (ligands) and other important areas of science and technology. In this regard, the search for new, more selective, low-waste synthetic routes become relevant. In this context, electrosynthesis has proven to be an eco-efficient and convenient approach in many respects, where the reagents are replaced by electrodes, where the reactants are replaced by electrodes, and the applied potential the applied potential determines their "oxidizing or reducing ability". An electrochemical approach to such processes is being developed rapidly and demonstrates some advantages over traditional classical methods of C-H phosphorylation. The main reasons for success are the exclusion of excess reagents from the reaction system: such as oxidants, reducing agents, and sometimes metal and/or other improvers, which challenge isolation, increase the wastes and reduce the yield due to frequent incompatibility with these functional groups. Ideal conditions include electron as a reactant (regulated by applied potential) and the by-products as hydrogen or hydrocarbon. The review summarizes and analyzes the achievements of electrochemical methods for the preparation of various phosphorus derivatives with carbon-phosphorus bonds, and collects data on the redox properties of the most commonly used phosphorus precursors. Electrochemically induced reactions both with and without catalyst metals, where competitive oxidation of precursors leads to either the activation of C-H bond or to the generation of phosphorus-centered radicals (radical cations) or metal high oxidation states will be examined. The review focuses on publications from the past 5 years., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Budnikova, Dolengovsky, Tarasov and Gryaznova.)

Here we report the synthesis, in vitro antimicrobial activity, preliminary toxicity and mechanism study of a new series of 2-(2-hydroxyaryl)alkenylphosphonium salts with the variation of phosphonium moiety obtained by a two-step synthetic method from phosphine oxides. The salts showed pronounced activity against Gram-positive bacteria, including MRSA strains, and some fungi. Mechanism of action against S. aureus was studied by CV test, TEM and proteomic assay. No cell wall integrity loss was observed while proteomic assay results suggested interference in different metabolic processes of S. aureus. For this series, lipophilicity was determined as a key factor for the inhibition of Gram-positive bacteria growth and S. aureus killing. Biological properties of methylated derivatives were notably different with manifested action against Gram-negative bacteria., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

We report efficient synthetic methodologies for the preparation of 3-amino and 3-hydroxy 3-pyrrolin-2-ones (unsaturated γ-lactams) through a multicomponent reaction of amines, aldehydes and acetylene or pyruvate derivatives. The densely substituted γ-lactam substrates show in vitro cytotoxicity, inhibiting the growth of the carcinoma human tumor cell lines RKO (human colon epithelial carcinoma), SKOV3 (human ovarian carcinoma) and A549 (carcinomic human alveolar basal epithelial cell). In view of the possibilities for the diversity of the substituents that offer a multicomponent, synthetic methodology, an extensive structure-activity profile is presented. In addition, the bioisosteric replacement of the flat ester group by a tetrahedral phosphonate or phosphine oxide moiety in γ-lactam substrates leads to increased growth inhibition activity. Cell morphology analysis and flow cytometry assays indicate that the main pathway by which our compounds induce cytotoxicity is based on the activation of the intracellular apoptotic mechanism.

A phosphine-oxide-promoted, cobalt-catalysed reductive etherification using syngas as a reductant is reported. This novel methodology was successfully used to prepare a broad range of unsymmetrical ethers from various aldehydes and alcohols containing diverse functional groups, and was scaled-up to multigram scale under comparably mild conditions. Mechanistic experiments support an acetalization-hydrogenation sequence., (© 2022 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

A series of novel α-(diphenylphosphoryl)- and α-(diphenylphosphorothioyl)cycloalkanone oximes have been synthesized in search for novel bioactive molecules. Their structures were characterized by various spectroscopic methods including IR, NMR ( 1 H, 31 P, 13 C), mass spectrometry and single crystal X-ray diffraction. The newly synthesized phosphorus-containing oximes were screened for their in vitro antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis), Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium) and fungal strains (Candida albicans and Candida glabrata). The biological assays showed that all the studied compounds exhibited high antibacterial and antifungal activities at only 0.1-2.1 μg/mL. In silico molecular docking studies in FabH enzyme active site were performed in order to predict the possible interaction modes and binding energies of the drug candidates at the molecular level., (© 2020 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.)

Here we report the synthesis and biological evaluation of a series of new 2-hydroxybenzylphosphonium salts (QPS) with antimicrobial and antitumor dual action. The most active compounds exhibit antimicrobial activity at a micromolar level against Gram-positive bacteria Sa (ATCC 209p and clinical isolates), Bc (1-2 μM) and fungi Tm and Ca, and induced no notable hemolysis at MIC. The change in nature of substituents of the same length led to a drastic change of biological activity. Self-assembly behavior of the octadecyl and oleyl derivatives was studied. QPS demonstrated self-assembly within the micromolar range with the formation of nanosized aggregates capable of the solubilizing hydrophobic probe. The synthesized phosphonium salts were tested for cytotoxicity. The most potent salt was active against on M-Hela cell line with IC 50 on the level of doxorubicin and good selectivity. According to the cytofluorimetry analysis, the salts induced mitochondria-dependent apoptosis., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The crystal structure of 4-(2,3,5,6-tetrafluoropyridyl)diphenylphosphine oxide ( 1 ) contains two independent molecules in the asymmetric unit. Although the molecules are virtually identical in all other aspects, the P=O bond distances differ by ca. 0.02 Å. In contrast, although tris(pentafluorophenyl)phosphine oxide ( 2 ) has a similar crystal structure, the P=O bond distances of the two independent molecules are identical. To investigate the reason for the difference, a density functional theory study was undertaken. Both structures comprise chains of molecules. The attraction between molecules of 1 , which comprises lone pair-π, weak hydrogen bonding and C-H∙∙∙arene interactions, has energies of 70 and 71 kJ mol -1 . The attraction between molecules of 2 comprises two lone pair-π interactions, and has energies of 99 and 100 kJ mol -1 . There is weak hydrogen bonding between molecules of adjacent chains involving the oxygen atom of 1 . For one molecule, this interaction is with a symmetry independent molecule, whereas for the other, it also occurs with a symmetry related molecule. This provides a reason for the difference in P=O distance. This interaction is not possible for 2 , and so there is no difference between the P=O distances of 2 .

Tri- or tetrasubstituted furans have been prepared from terminal activated olefins and acyl chlorides or anhydrides by a multicomponental convergent synthesis mode. Instead of stoichiometric n Bu 3 P, only catalytic n Bu 3 P or n Bu 3 P=O is needed to furnish the furans in modest to excellent yields with a good functional group tolerance under the aid of reducing agent silane. This synthetic method features a silane-driven catalytic intramolecular Wittig reaction as a key annulation step and represents the first successful application of catalytic Wittig reaction in multicomponent cascade reaction.

In this study, Michaelis-Arbuzov-type reaction of 1-imidoalkyltriarylphosphonium salts with phosphites, phosphonites, and phosphinites was used in the synthesis of a wide range of phosphorus analogs of α-amino acids such as 1-imidoalkylphosphonates, 1-imidoalkylphosphinates, and 1-imidoalkylphosphine oxides. Large differences were observed in the reactivity of substrates depending on their structure, especially on the type of phosphonium moiety and N -protecting group. The conditions under which the expected products can be obtained in good to excellent yields have been developed. Mechanistic aspects of the transformation have been provided.

The three secondary phosphine oxides [CH 2 =CH(CH 2 ) 4 ] 2 HPO (1), [CH 2 =CH(CH 2 ) 5 ] 2 HPO (2), and [CH 2 =CH(CH 2 ) 6 ] 2 HPO (3), and two diphosphine dioxides, {[CH 2 =CH(CH 2 ) 6 ] 2 PO(CH 2 ) 7 } 2 (4) and {[CH 2 =CH(CH 2 ) 6 ] 2 PO(CH 2 ) 4 } 2 (5), incorporating long methylene chains, are described. The single crystal X-ray structures of 1, 2, and 5 have been determined. The phosphine oxides 3, 4, and 5 have been adsorbed on silica in submonolayer quantities to give 3 a-5 a. The 1 H, 13 C, and 31 P solid-state NMR spectra of polycrystalline 3-5 have been analyzed and compared with those of 3 a-5 a. The changes of the solid-state NMR characteristics upon adsorption and the surface mobilities of the phosphine oxides are discussed., (© 2019 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Composite quantum chemical methods W1X-1 and CBS-QB3 are used to calculate the gas phase standard enthalpy of formation, entropy, and heat capacity of 38 phosphines and phosphine oxides for which reliable experimental thermochemical information is limited or simply nonexistent. For alkyl phosphines and phosphine oxides, the W1X-1, and CBS-QB3 results are mutually consistent and in excellent agreement with available G3X values and empirical data. In the case of aryl-substituted species, different computational methods show more variation, with G3X enthalpies being furthest from experimental values. The calculated thermochemical data are subsequently used to determine Benson group additivity contributions for 24 Benson groups and group pairs involving phosphorus, thereby allowing fast and accurate estimations of thermochemical data of many organophosphorus compounds of any complexity. Such data are indispensable, for example, in chemical process design or estimating potential hazards of new chemical compounds. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., (© 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Background: The Hirao reaction discovered ca. 35 years ago is an important P-C coupling protocol between dialkyl phosphites and aryl halides in the presence of Pd(PPh3)4 as the catalyst and a base to provide aryl phosphonates. Then, the reaction was extended to other Preagents, such as secondary phosphine oxides and H-phosphinates and to other aryl and hetaryl derivatives to afford also phosphinic esters and tertiary phosphine oxides. Instead of the Pd(PPh3)4 catalyst, Pd(OAc)2 and Ni-salts were also applied as catalyst precursors together with a number of mono- and bidentate P-ligands., Objective: In our review, we undertook to summarize the target reaction with a special stress on the developments attained in the last 6 years, hence this paper is an update of our earlier reviews in a similar topic., Conclusions: "Greener" syntheses aimed at utilizing phase transfer catalytic and microwave-assisted approaches, even under "P-ligand-free. or even solvent-free conditions are the up-to date versions of the classical Hirao reaction. The mechanism of the reaction is also in the focus these days., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

The first catalytic enantioselective aldol reaction of various unprotected carboxylic acids is described. In the presence of a chiral bis(phosphine oxide) as a Lewis base catalyst, carboxylic acids were activated with silicon tetrachloride to form the corresponding bis(trichlorosilyl)enediolates in situ, which subsequently underwent an aldol reaction with an aldehyde or a ketone to produce β-hydroxycarboxylic acids in high enantioselectivities of up to 92 % ee., (© 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

A new class of antenna chromophores so called 'tetrazolates' have not been explored much for lanthanide luminescencent complexes. However, we have already published several articles considering pyridineoxide tetrazolates as sensitizer with lanthanide ions. Although this class of antenna attracted much less attention because of its poor photoluminescence quantum yields (tris-pyridineoxide tetrazolate europium complex = 13% in solution) we tried and successfully achieved to improve the photoluminescence quantum yields for this particular antenna molecule by replacing coordinated water from the inner coordination sphere of europium ion by introducing phosphine oxides as additional chromophore. In the present article the two bis-phosphine oxides attach two molecules of tris-pyridineoxide tetrazolate europium(III) complex which leads to the improvement of the overall molar absorption coefficients as well as photo-physical properties of the complexes. We found more than two-fold increase (31% in solution) in photoluminescence quantum yield with one of the coordinated phosphine oxides comparing with that of tris-pyridineoxide tetrazolate europium(III) complex., (Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

A new method for the iodine-catalyzed reduction of phosphine oxides with phosphites at room temperature is reported. The mild reaction conditions, scalability, and simple purification requirements render it a method of choice for the large-scale production and facile regeneration of a variety of phosphines. Mechanistic studies, supported by DFT calculations of the oxygen transfer between the starting phosphine oxide and the phosphite reagent, are also presented. Such transmutations of phosphorus species were previously unknown., (© 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

The di(hydroperoxy)alkane adducts of phosphine oxides 1-9, Ph 3 PO⋅(HOO) 2 CMe 2 , Cy 3 PO⋅(HOO) 2 CMe 2 , Ph 3 PO⋅ (HOO) 2 CMeEt, Cy 3 PO⋅(HOO) 2 CMeEt, Cy 3 PO⋅(HOO) 2 CEt 2 , Cy 3 PO⋅ (HOO) 2 C(CH 2 ) 5 , Cy 3 PO⋅(HOO) 2 CMePh, (Ph 2 P(O)CH 2 CH 2 P(O)Ph 2 )⋅ ((HOO) 2 CEt 2 ) 2 , and Ph 2 P(O)CH 2 P(O)Ph 2 ⋅(HOO) 2 CMe 2 , respectively, are synthesized and fully characterized by 1 H, 13 C, and 31 P NMR, and IR spectroscopies. Single crystal X-ray structures are reported for 3-9. Different one-pot synthetic pathways, starting from R 3 P, R 3 PO, R 3 PO⋅H 2 O, and R 3 PO⋅H 2 O 2 are explored and discussed and a mechanism for the formation of the di(hydroperoxy)alkane adducts of phosphine oxides is suggested. The longevity of the adducts is tested by monitoring the oxidation of Ph 3 P with quantitative NMR. The solubilities of the adducts in organic solvents are presented, and their applicability as stoichiometric oxidizing agents for the selective oxidation of sulfides to sulfoxides is reported., (© 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

This article discusses the concept of N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) equipped with more than one functional moiety, which allows using these NHCs for multiple purposes. A pioneering example for such NHCs is N-phosphine oxide-substituted imidazolylidenes (PoxIms), and their synthesis and strategic use are highlighted. The utility of PoxIms by far exceeds the conventional use as multidentate ligands for metal complexes on account of the synergetic functions of the carbene and the N-phosphine oxide group(s)., (© 2017 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.)

Reduction of phosphine oxides to the corresponding phosphines represents the most straightforward method to prepare these valuable reagents. However, existing methods to reduce phosphine oxides suffer from inadequate chemoselectivity due to the strength of the P=O bond and/or poor atom economy. Herein, we report the discovery of the most powerful chemoselective reductant for this transformation to date, 1,3-diphenyl-disiloxane (DPDS). Additive-free DPDS selectively reduces both secondary and tertiary phosphine oxides with retention of configuration even in the presence of aldehyde, nitro, ester, α,β-unsaturated carbonyls, azocarboxylates, and cyano functional groups. Arrhenius analysis indicates that the activation barrier for reduction by DPDS is significantly lower than any previously calculated silane reduction system. Inclusion of a catalytic Brønsted acid further reduced the activation barrier and led to the first silane-mediated reduction of acyclic phosphine oxides at room temperature., (© 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

This review surveys the literature regarding the development of catalytic versions of the Wittig and aza-Wittig reactions. The first section summarizes how arsenic and tellurium-based catalytic Wittig-type reaction systems were developed first due to the relatively easy reduction of the oxides involved. This is followed by a presentation of the current state of the art regarding phosphine-catalyzed Wittig reactions. The second section covers the field of related catalytic aza-Wittig reactions that are catalyzed by both phosphine oxides and phosphines.

Two new ternary tetrazolate Eu(III) complexes with phosphine oxide co-ligands Eu(PTO)3 ·(P1/P2) [PTO = 5-(2-pyridyl-1-oxide)tetrazole, P1 = diphenylphosphorylamino-phenylphosphoryl-benzene, P2 = diphenylphosphorylpyridine)-bis-isobutyricphosphoryl] were synthesized and characterized using UV, fluorescence, IR and (1) H NMR spectroscopic techniques. The analytical data prove that the complexes are mononuclear in nature and the central Eu(III) ion is coordinated by three N and three O atoms of tetrazolate, and two O atoms of the corresponding bidentate phosphine oxide ligands. The ancillary ligand increased the photoluminescence efficiency of Eu(PTO)3 ·P1 (complex 3) by twofold compared with our previously reported Eu(PTO)3 complex (complex 1). Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., (Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Objective: This paper investigates the photo-co-polymerization behavior of a blend of a diacrylamide (DEBAAP) with a phosphonylated acidic monomer using either bis(acyl)phosphine oxide or camphorquinone/amine as photo-initiator and studies the effect of variation of the structure of the phosphonylated acidic monomer on the shear bond strength to human dentin., Methods: Photopolymerization kinetics has been assessed through the use of photo-DSC with either initiating system and with and without a phosphonic acid monomer, while the shear bond strengths (SBS) of dentin bonding agents formulated with several phosphonylated acidic monomers have been evaluated by macro SBS testing on human dentin., Results: Photo-DSC results show that bis(acyl)phosphine oxide initiates a faster polymerization than camphorquinone/amine and that both photopolymerizations are accelerated by the phosphonic acid monomer. Similar results were obtained between adhesives based on camphorquinone/amine and a commercial adhesive (AdheSE, Ivoclar-Vivadent, Schaan, Liechtenstein). The best performances were obtained when BAPO was used as the initiator, in many cases far better than the commercial adhesive. Adhesive SEA6 based on difluoromethylphosphonic acid C demonstrated the best adhesion results of this study. Significance The bis(acyl)phosphine oxide photo-initiator causes faster photopolymerization of two-step self-etching dental adhesive, and its use could yield better bonding performance., (Copyright © 2016 Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

By using a phosphine oxide-catalyzed enantioselective double aldol reaction, we achieved the concise construction of C2 -symmetric 1,9-diarylnonanoids, enabling the synthesis of (-)-ericanone from p-hydroxybenzaldehyde in 6 steps with 65 % overall yield. The enantioselective double aldol reaction is useful for establishing C2 -symmetric 1,9-diaryl-3,7-dihydroxy-5-nonanones with a single operation. Furthermore, the use of o-nosyl-protected p-hydroxybenzaldehyde and a 4,4'-disubstituted BINAP dioxide catalyst dramatically improved the reactivity and selectivity in the double aldol reaction, enabling the total synthesis of (-)-ericanone with high yield and with excellent enantiopurity., (© 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

The enantioselective bromocyclization of allylic amides catalyzed by phosphorus-containing Lewis bases was examined in detail. A series of control experiments and NMR studies showed that a partially oxidized bis-phosphine generated in situ serves as the actual enantioselective catalyst. The reaction mechanism involves distinct roles of two Lewis basic sites, P and P=O, with P + Br serving as a fine-tuning element for substrate fixation in the chiral environment, and P + OBr as the Br + transfer agent to the olefin. Catalyst loading could be reduced to as little as 1 mol %, and the reaction affords enantioenriched oxazolines with up to >99.5 % ee., (© 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Aqueous hydrogen peroxide is widely used as an oxidizing agent in industry and academia. Herein, the hydrogen peroxide adducts of phosphine oxides, [tBu3PO⋅H2O2]2 and [Ph3PO⋅H2O2]2⋅H2O2, are described. Additionally, the corresponding di(hydroperoxy)propane adducts R3PO⋅(HOO)2CMe2 (R=Cy, Ph) were synthesized and characterized. All adducts could be obtained as large single crystals suitable for structural characterization by X-ray crystallography and solid-state NMR spectroscopy. The di(hydroperoxy)propane adducts are soluble in organic solvents which enables oxidation reactions in one phase. As the adducts are solid and molecular, they can easily be applied stoichiometrically. No loss of oxidizing power occurs upon long-term storage of the single crystals at room temperature or the powders at -20 °C., (© 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Secondary phosphine oxides react with vinyl sulfides (both alkyl- and aryl-substituted sulfides) under aerobic and solvent-free conditions (80 °C, air, 7-30 h) to afford 1-hydroxy-2-(organosulfanyl)ethyl(diorganyl)phosphine oxides in 70-93% yields.

N-Phosphine oxide substituted imidazolylidenes (PoxIms) have been synthesized and fully characterized. These species can undergo significant changes to the spatial environment surrounding their carbene center through rotation of the phosphine oxide moiety. Either classical Lewis adducts (CLAs) or frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs) are thus formed with B(C6 F5 )3 depending on the orientation of the phosphine oxide group. A strategy to reactivate FLPs from CLAs by exploiting molecular motions that are responsive to external stimuli has therefore been developed. The reactivation conditions were successfully controlled by tuning the strain in the PoxIm-B(C6 F5 )3 complexes so that reactivation only occurred above ambient temperature., (© 2015 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial NoDerivs License, which permits use and distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, the use is non-commercial and no modifications or adaptations are made.)

The synthesis of P-chirogenic (±)-phosphine oxides and phosphinates via selective nucleophilic ring opening of the corresponding oxaphospholanes is described. Two representative substrates: the phosphonate 2-ethoxy-1,2-oxaphospholane 2-oxide and the phosphinate 2-phenyl-1,2-oxaphospholane 2-oxide were reacted with various Grignard reagents to produce a single alkyl/aryl product. These products may possess further functionalities in addition to the phosphorus center such as the γ-hydroxypropyl group which results from the ring opening and π-donor moieties such as aryl, allyl, propargyl and allene which originates from the Grignard reagent.

Direct CH amidation of arylphosphoryl compounds has been developed by using an Ir(III) catalyst system under mild conditions. A wide range of substrates could be employed with high functional-group tolerance. This procedure was successfully applied for the first time to the asymmetric reaction giving rise to a P-chirogenic center with a high diastereomeric ratio of up to 19:1 (90 % de)., (© 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Synthetic routes that provide facile access to either enantiomeric form of a target compound are particularly valuable. The crystallization-free dual resolution of phosphine oxides that gives highly enantioenriched materials (up to 94 % ee) in excellent yields is reported. Both enantiomeric oxides have been prepared from a single intermediate, (RP )-alkoxyphosphonium chloride, which is formed in the course of a selective dynamic kinetic resolution using a single enantiomer of menthol as the chiral auxiliary. The origin of the dual stereoselectivity lies in bifurcation of the reaction pathway of this intermediate, which works as a stereochemical railroad switch. Under controlled conditions, Arbuzov-type collapse of this intermediate proceeds through CO bond fission with retention of the configuration at the phosphorus center. Conversely, alkaline hydrolysis of the PO bond leads to the opposite SP  enantiomer., (Copyright © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

An efficient procedure for the oxidation of primary and secondary alcohols to aldehydes and ketones, respectively, with molecular oxygen under ambient conditions has been achieved. By applying catalytic amounts of Pd(OAc)2 in the presence of tertiary phosphine oxides (O=PR3) as ligands, a variety of substrates are selectively oxidized without formation of ester byproducts. Spectroscopic investigations and DFT calculations suggest stabilization of the active palladium(II) catalyst by phosphine oxide ligands., (Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Increased resonance: The selective tuning of the optoelectronic properties of organic semiconductors is possible by enantiotropic resonance variation. Using resonance forms of N(+)=P-O(-) in a series of arylamine-phosphine oxide hybrids afforded low-voltage-driven phosphorescent OLEDs with outstanding performances., (Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

The development of enantioselective aldol reactions catalyzed by chiral phosphine oxides is described. The aldol reactions presented herein do not require the prior preparation of the masked enol ethers from carbonyl compounds as aldol donors. The reactions proceed through a trichlorosilyl enol ether intermediate, formed in situ from carbonyl compounds, which then acts as the aldol donor. Phosphine oxides activate the trichlorosilyl enol ethers to afford the aldol adducts with high stereoselectivities. This procedure was used to realize a directed cross-aldol reaction between ketones and two types of double aldol reactions (a reaction at one/two α position(s) of a carbonyl group) with high diastereo- and enantioselectivities., (Copyright © 2013 The Chemical Society of Japan and Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Objectives: The aim of this study was to formulate materials with high color stability and reduced degradation by using photoinitiator systems derived from phosphine oxides alternative to the traditional camphorquinone (CQ)/amine system., Methods: Materials were formulated with the monomers BisGMA and TEGDMA as organic matrix. The photoinitiators tested were CQ+amine (EDMAB), phenylbis(2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl)phosphine oxide (BAPO), BAPO+EDMAB, diphenyl(2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl)-phosphine oxide (TPO) and TPO+EDMAB. A 60% mass of silanated glass filler particles was added. Degree of CC conversion was evaluated by Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy 10min after photopolymerization. The color properties were evaluated by a digital spectrophotometer, applying the CIELab parameters, either before photoactivation, immediately after photoactivation, 24h after dry storage, and one month after water immersion. Water sorption and solubility were assessed by mass gain or loss after storage in water for 30 days. Data were analyzed using ANOVA and Tukey's test (5%)., Results: Degree of conversion did not differ statistically among all the tested formulations. Regarding color, only groups with TPO presented satisfactory color stability after one month of water storage (ΔE<3.3). Water sorption and water stability did not differ among the groups., Conclusions: Degree of conversion, water sorption and water solubility did not differ among all the tested groups. The TPO-based groups were the only materials with satisfactory color stability after one month of water storage., Clinical Significance: The use of a photoinitiator system containing TPO might improve the color stability of resin composites compared with the traditional CQ/amine system while attaining similar physico-chemical properties for the composite., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The purposeful modulation of the optoelectronic properties was realised on the basis of a series of the large, conjugated, phosphine oxide hosts 9,9-bis-{4'-[2-(diphenylphosphinoyl)phenoxy]biphenyl-4-yl}-9H-fluorene (DDPESPOF), 9,9-bis-{3'-(diphenylphosphinoyl)-4'-[2-(diphenylphosphinoyl)phenoxy]biphenyl-4-yl}-9H-fluorene (DDPEPOF), 9-[4'-(9-{4'-[2-(diphenylphosphoryl)phenoxy]biphenyl-4-yl}-9H-fluoren-9-yl)biphenyl-4-yl]-9H-carbazole (DPESPOFPhCz) and 9-[4'-(9-{3'-(diphenylphosphoryl)-4'-[2-(diphenylphosphoryl)phenoxy]biphenyl-4-yl}-9H-fluoren-9-yl)biphenyl-4-yl]-9H-carbazole (DPEPOFPhCz). The last two are quaternary with fluorenyls as linking bridges, diphenylphosphine oxide (DPPO) moieties as electron acceptors and diphenylethers and carbazolyls as two different kinds of electron donors. Owing to the fine-organised molecular structures and the mixed indirect and multi-insulating linkages, all of these hosts achieve the same first triplet energy levels (T1) of 2.86 eV for exothermic energy transfer to phosphorescent dopants. The first singlet energy levels (S1) and the carrier injection/transportation ability of the hosts were accurately modulated, so that DPESPOFPhCz and DPEPOFPhCz revealed extremely similar optoelectronic properties. However, the T1 state of the former is localised on fluorenyl, whereas the carbazolyl mainly contributes to the T1 state of the latter. A lower driving voltages and much higher efficiencies of the devices based on DPESPOFPhCz indicated that the chromophore-localised T1 state can suppress the quenching effects through realising independent contributions from the different functional groups to the optoelectronic properties and the embedding and protecting effect on the T1 states by peripheral carrier transporting groups., (Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)