Phosphide complexes, lanthanide

A mechanism that involves ytterbium phosphide species has been proposed, similarly to the foregoing intramolecular hydrophosphination. Generation of the phosphide species is supported by the formation of Ph2CDNHPh (after aqueous quench) upon treatment of the imine complex with Ph2PD (Scheme 15). Lanthanide phosphide is known to react with THF, forming a 4-diphenylphosphino-l-butoxyl species [21], which was indeed found as a side product in the catalytic hydrophosphination of disubstituted aliphatic alkynes run in THF, supporting further the ytterbium-phosphide intermediate (Scheme 16). 

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