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Updated: Feb 7, 2026

Preparation and Reactivity of a Triphosphenium Bromide Salt: A Convenient and Stable Source of PhosphorusI
Published on: November 22, 2016
2-Aminophenolate ligands for phosphorus(v): a lithium salt featuring the chiral [P(OC6H4NR)3]- anion
Chuantian Zhan1, Zeyu Han, Brian O Patrick
1Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, 2036 Main Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, CanadaV6T 1Z1. dgates@chem.ubc.ca.
Abstract:
Phosphoranes P(OC6H4NR)2(OC6H4NHR) [R = Me (2a), Ph (2b), C6F5 (2c)] were synthesized by treating PCl5 with the respective 2-aminophenol derivative (1a-c, 3.1 equiv.). In one instance, an intermediate species, P(OC6H4NR)2Cl [R = Me (3a)], was isolated and structurally characterized. Deprotonation of the amine moieties (-NH[combining low line]R) in phosphoranes 2a and 2b with a strong alkali-metal base (e.g. n-BuLi) in the presence of a strong-donor solvent (e.g. THF) afforded salts composed of the hexacoordinate P(v)-anions [P(OC6H4NR)3]- (R = Me, [4a]-; Ph, [4b]-). Employing precursor 2a, the salt Li(THF)3fac-[4a]- was isolated. The X-ray crystal of each enantiomer of [4a]- was determined and, to our knowledge, represents the first structurally characterized example of a salt containing a hexacoordinate P(v)N3O3 anion featuring P(v)-N bonds.
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