Phosphonium salts hexadecyltributylphosphonium

In 1971, Starks introduced the term phase-transfer catalysis to explain the critical role of tetraalkylammonium or phosphonium salts (Q 1 X ) in the reactions between two substances located in different immiscible phases [1], For instance, the displacement reaction of 1-chlorooctane with aqueous sodium cyanide is accelerated many thousand-fold by the addition of hexadecyltributylphosphonium bromide 1 as a phase-transfer catalyst (Scheme 1.1). The key element of this tremendous reactivity enhancement is the generation of quaternary phosphonium cyanide, which renders the cyanide anion organic soluble and sufficiently nucleophilic. 

Alkylation of phthalimide anion can be carried out under solid-liquid phase-transfer conditions, using phosphonium salts or ammonium salts. In the reaction systems using hexadecyltributylphosphonium bromide, alkyl bromides and alkyl methanesulfonate are more reactive than alkyl chlorides. Octyl iodide is less reactive than the corresponding bromide and chloride. ( )-2-Octyl methanesulfonate was converted into (S)-2-octylamine with 92.5% inversion. Kinetic resolution of racemic ethyl 2-bromopro-pionate by the use of a chiral quaternary ammonium salt catalyst has been reported. Under liquid-liquid phase-transfer conditions, A -alkylation of phthalimide has been reported to give poor results. ... 

P-(arylthio) — bi(phosphonium salts) ethylenephosphonium salts hexadecyltributylphosphonium bromide -- startg. m. f. 

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