Computational studies of the thermal fragmentation of P-arylphosphiranes: have arylphosphinidenes been generated by...

CASSCF, CASPT2, CCSD(T), and (U)B3LYP electronic structure calculations have been performed in order to investigate the thermal fragmentation of P-phenylphosphirane (1) to phenylphosphinidene (PhP) and ethylene. The calculations show that generation of triplet PhP via a stepwise pathway is 21 kcal mol(-1) less endothermic and has a 12 kcal mol(-1) lower barrier height than concerted fragmentation of 1 to give singlet PhP. The formation of singlet PhP via a concerted pathway is predicted to be stereospecific, whereas formation of triplet PhP is predicted to occur with complete loss of stereochemistry. However, calculations on fragmentation of anti-cis-2,3-dimethyl-P-mesitylphosphirane (cis-1Me) to triplet mesitylphosphinidene (MesP) indicate that this reaction should be more stereospecific, in agreement with the experimental results of Li and Gaspar. Nevertheless, with a predicted free energy of activation of 42 kcal mol(-1), the formation of MesP from cis-1Me is not likely to have occurred in an uncatalyzed reaction at the temperatures at which this phosphirane has been pyrolyzed.