Phosphiranium cations are potentially useful building blocks in organophosphorus chemistry, but little is known about their structure and reactivity. Alkylation of P-stereogenic phosphiranes with MeOTf gave syn-[Mes*P(Me)CH2CHMe][OTf] (1) and anti-[Mes*P(Me)CH2CHPh][OTf] (2, Mes* = 2,4,6-(t-Bu)3C6H2), which were structurally characterized by X-ray crystallography. Thermal isomerization of 2 gave an equilibrium mixture of 2 and syn-[Mes*P(Me)CH2CHPh][OTf] (3). The structures of 1 and 2 and the mechanism and stereochemistry of the isomerization will be discussed.

Synthesis, structure, and isomerization of phosphiranium cations

254th National Meeting (2017)

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