Role of the conformation in the reactivity of 1,3-diphosphapropenes

The symmetrical and unsymmetrical 1,3-diphospha-propenes 3 and 4 were obtained from the corresponding diposphiranes 1 and 2. The chemical behavior of these compounds has been studied. Phosphonium-phosphaalkenes 7a and 10a have been obtained in the reactions with aluminium trichloride. Whereas the symmetrical diphosphaallene 13 can be obtained by reaction of 1 or 3 with lithio compounds, the unsymmetrical diphosphaalene 14 cannot be prepared by a similar route. Reduction of 3a and 4a (obtained with a different conformation) by lithium aluminum hydride afforded phosphino-phosphaalkenes 17a and 18a (with a similar conformation); further dehydrochlorination with amines led to the symmetrical and unsymmetrical diphosphaalenes 13 and 14, respectively. The formation of allenes strongly depends on the conformation of the starting diphosphapropenes.