Conformational triphenylphosphine oxide

A"-Ray structure determinations (see Chapter 11 for details) have been reported for triphenylphosphine oxide, tri-o-tolylphosphine oxide, sulphide, and selenide, and for cw-2,2,3,4,4-pentamethyl-l-phenylphos-phetan-1-oxide (5). Electron spectroscopic studies of phosphorus oxychloride and thiophosphoryl chloride in the gaseous state, and n.m.r., i.r., and u.v. spectra of phosphine sulphides have appeared. Dipole moments have been used to define the stereochemistry of 2-cyanoethylphosphine oxides, such as (6), which is shown in its preferred conformation. 

An early application was to the pathway for conformational isomerization of molecules Ar3Z, with three aromatic rings on the same centre (Mislow, 1976). Typically the system is pyramidal (tetrahedral overall where there is a fourth substituent on Z), and the rings are close enough in space that they cannot rotate independently about the Z-Ar bond. Triphenylphosphine oxide, to take a specific example, crystallizes in a propeller conformation [4 Z = P=OJ which is chiral, with all three benzene rings rotated in the same sense from the relevant C-P-O plane. A study (Bye et al., 1982) of deformations from this geometry for more than 1000 related structures in various environments allowed a detailed description of the pathway for... 

A detailed structure has been published for triphenylphosphine oxide (42). Crystal structure analysis of the oxide (65 R = R = Ph, R =Me) has been reported. The diastereoisomers of general structure (65) have been prepared as shown, and have been separated. Extensive analysis of /cp and /ph values has been used to suggest preferred conformations in which the vicinal hydrogens are, unexpectedly, always trans, e.g. structure (66). ... 

The synthesis of 3 may be simplified further by linking the C20- units 59 or 60 oxidatively or reductively, respectively. Thus reduction of 60 with low-valency titanium compounds [64] or oxidation of 59 with triphenylphosphite-ozone adduct [65] afford 3 in yields of 85% and 75%, respectively. In a process developed at BASF the phosphonium salt 59 is reacted with hydrogen peroxide in aqueous alkaline solution [62]. After separation of triphenylphosphine oxide and thermal isomerization, (all- )-3 conforming to type specifications is obtained in yields of approximately 70% based on vitamin A acetate (26) (Scheme 17). 

Ti -Cyclopentadienyl(triphenylphosphine)cobalt reacts with phosphites and forms complexes of 1-alkoxyphosphole oxides 251 (R = Me, Et, Ph) through a step involving (ri -cyclopentadienyl)(phosphite)cobalt (80JA4363). (ri -Cp)Co(PF3)2 reacts with hexafluorobut-2-yne and 252 is formed, which hydrolyzes into 253 (X = OH) [73JCS(CC)583 75JCS(D)197]. The five-member ring has the envelope conformation, in which the carbon atoms are coplanar, and the phosphorus atom deviates from this plane in the direction opposite to the cobalt atom. The heterocycle is a four-electron donor relative to the metal center. 

Structural and Physical Aspects. - The stability of the various conformers of the phosphines oxides (269)- 211) has received theoretical consideration. A new triclinic polymorph of triphenylphosphine sulfide has been structurally characterised, together with a related triclinic polymorph of triphenylphos-phine. Two reports of the solid state crystal structure of the phenolic phosphine oxide (272) have appeared. A crystallographic study has confirmed that the product of electrochemical oxidation of o-diphenylphosphinoben-zenethiol is the disulfide-bridged bis(phosphine oxide) (273). Solid-state structural studies of the dioxides (274), the (i )-(-I-)-isomer of (275), 1-hexynyl(diphenyl)phosphine oxide,tribenzylphosphine oxide, and tris(t-butyl)phosphine selenide," have also been reported. 

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