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Updated: Sep 22, 2025

Preparation and Use of Carbonyl-decorated Carbenes in the Activation of White Phosphorus
Published on: October 3, 2014
Metal-Free N-H Bond Activation by Phospha-Wittig Reagents
Fabian Dankert1, Jan-Erik Siewert1, Priyanka Gupta1
1Leibniz-Institut für Katalyse e.V. (LIKAT), Albert-Einstein-Straße 3a, 18059, Rostock, Germany.
Abstract:
N-containing molecules are mostly derived from ammonia (NH3 ). Ammonia activation has been demonstrated for single transition metal centers as well as for low-valent main group species. Phosphinidenes, mono-valent phosphorus species, can be stabilized by phosphines, giving so-called phosphanylidenephosphoranes of the type RP(PR'3 ). We demonstrate the facile, metal-free NH3 activation using ArP(PMe3 ), affording for the first time isolable secondary aminophosphines ArP(H)NH2 . DFT studies reveal that two molecules of NH3 act in concert to facilitate an NH3 for PMe3 exchange. Furthermore, H2 NR and HNR2 activation is demonstrated.
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