Air-Stable and Catalytically Active Phosphinous Acid Transition-Metal Complexes

Abstract

Secondary phosphane oxides R2P(O)H are most frequently used as preligands for phosphinous acid R2POH (R = alkyl, aryl) transition-metal complexes, which are very efficient catalysts for cross-coupling reactions. To investigate the influence of electron-deficient substituents on the catalytic activity, the coordination properties of bis(trifluoromethyl)-, bis(pentafluoroethyl)-, and bis[2,4-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]phosphinous acid toward catalytically relevant metals, such as palladium and platinum, are studied. The novel phosphinous acid palladium complexes reveal a high catalytic activity in Heck and Suzuki cross-coupling reactions. Because of the strong dependence of these processes on the reaction conditions, a systematic solvent and base screening with 1-bromo-3-fluorobenzene and phenyl boronic acid as model reactants is performed. The most efficient solvent/base system consists of 2-propanol and potassium phosphate, providing a full conversion and a TON of around 10 000 after 20 h at room temperat...