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Updated: Mar 14, 2026

Preparation and Reactivity of a Triphosphenium Bromide Salt: A Convenient and Stable Source of PhosphorusI
Published on: November 22, 2016
Donor-substituted phosphanes - surprisingly weak Lewis donors for phosphenium cation stabilisation
Ewan R Clark1, Andryj M Borys1, Kyle Pearce1
1School of Physical Sciences, University of Kent, Ingram Building, Canterbury, Kent CT2 7NH, UK. e.r.clark@kent.ac.uk.
Abstract:
Paradoxically, N- and O-donor substituted tri-arylphosphanes are shown to be weaker donors than PPh3 when binding the soft Lewis acid moiety [PPh2]+. This arises from internal solvation and rehybridisation at phosphorus, precluding chelation and increasing steric demand, in direct contrast to coordination modes observed for metal complexes.
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