A Study of the Reactivity of Secondary Phosphanes with Radical Sources: A New Dehydrocoupling Reaction

Abstract

Abstract The reactions of secondary phosphanes with radical sources have been investigated. A stoichiometric dehydrocoupling of Ph 2 PH with 1,1′‐azobis[cyclohexane‐1‐carbonitrile] ( VAZO ® 88 ) affords tetraphenyldiphosphane in good yields, whilst reduction of the nitrosyl function was observed upon using 2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidin‐1‐oxyl (TEMPO). Dialkylphosphane–borane adducts also undergo a dehydrocoupling reaction in the presence of VAZO ® 88 to form R 4 P 2 .