Hydrophosphination of Alkenes and Alkynes

Hydrophosphination reactions, i.e. reactions where a P H bond is added across a multiple bond (usually of an activated alkene) can proceed uncata-lysed or catalysed by transition metal complexes. With suitable substrates. 

More than 20 years ago, Pringle and co-workers showed that hydrophosphination is a suitable reaction to prepare useful phosphine ligands for homogeneous catalysis by using platinum metal complexes. More recently, this reaction has been extended to the preparation of P-stereogenic phosphines and derivatives. 

---

Platinum catalysts of the preceding section activate only the nucleophile (a secondary phosphine), which then reacts with the electrophile (an activated alkene). There are, however, interesting examples of lanthanide complexes activating both the nucleophile and the electrophile towards intramolecular diastereoselective hydrophosphination/cyclisations. In 2000 Marks and co-workers found that certain lanthanide complexes catalyse the intramolecular hydrophosphination of alkenes and alkynes (Scheme 6.13). 

---