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Updated: Feb 17, 2026

Preparation and Reactivity of a Triphosphenium Bromide Salt: A Convenient and Stable Source of PhosphorusI
Published on: November 22, 2016
Evidence for Iron-Catalyzed α-Phosphinidene Elimination with Phenylphosphine
Justin K Pagano1,2, Brandon J Ackley1, Rory Waterman1
1Department of Chemistry, University of Vermont, Discovery Hall, USA.
Abstract:
The ubiquitous half-sandwich iron complex [CpFe(CO)2 Me] (Cp=η5 -C5 H5 ) appears to be a catalyst for α-phosphinidene elimination from primary phosphines. Dehydrocoupling reactions provided initial insight into this unusual reaction mechanism, and trapping reactions with organic substrates gave products consistent with an α elimination mechanism, including a rare example of a three-component reaction. The substrate scope of this reaction is consistent with generation of a triplet phosphinidene. In all, this study presents catalytic phosphinidene transfer to unsaturated organic substrates.
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