Phosphaalkkenes are an underrepresented class of phosphorus-based ligands that hold great potential for the stabilisation of low-valent transition metal and main group fragments. We present the synthe...

The oxidation of triphenylphosphine by perfluorinated phenaziniumF aluminate in difluorobenzene affords hexaaryl-1,2-diphosphonium dialuminate 1. Dication 12+ is valence isoelectronic with elusive hex...

The reactivity of an unsupported phosphinidene oxide, BnArNP═O (Bn = benzyl; Ar = bulky aryl group), as the electrophilic partner in Wittig reactions with ylides is described. Reactions with methylene-triphenylphosphorane (H2C═PPh3) and ethylidene-triphenyl-phosphorane (HMeC═PPh3), proceed as expected, giving rise to the phosphaalkene metathesis products and triphenylphosphine oxide. This reaction can be extended to other ylides such as N-(triphenylphosphoranylidene)methanamine (MeN═PPh3), to afford an aminoiminophosphane BnArNP═NMe. In these reactions the phosphinidene oxide plays the role of an electrophile, which would typically be the remit of an organic carbonyl in classical Wittig reactions. Further mechanistic insight into such transformations can be gained by altering the nature of the phosphorus-ylide. Upon reacting BnArNP═O with H2C═PMe3 (which possesses a smaller, more Lewis basic, phosphine) an alternative product is formed. This transformation supports the formation of a betaine intermediate that subsequently undergoes hydrogen-migration to afford an oxidized phosphorus(V) compound related to phosphorus acid.

The ubiquity of N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) in chemical research typically arises from their potent stabilizing capabilities and role as innocent spectators to stabilize otherwise non-bottleable co...