(2,2-Dimethylpropylidyne)phosphine

Abstract

(2,2-Dimethylpropylidyne)phosphine is the first compound with a phosphorus-carbon triple bond stable at room temperature. Since the electronegativities of phosphorus (2.2) and carbon (2.5) differ substantially from the value of nitrogen (3.0), the compound is more likely to react as the analog of an alkine than of a nitrile. Thus far, the reactivity of the phosphine towards transition metal complexes with the metals in low oxidation states and towards organic 1,3-dipolar or Diels-Alder reagents, has been studied. With halides of main group and subgroup elements numerous insertion reactions have been observed; from the addition of lithium bis(trimethylsilyl)phosphide' 2tetrahydrofuran (THF) in 1,2-dimethoxethane (DME), lithium 3,5-di-tert-butyl-1, 2, 4-triphospholid' 3DME can be obtained.