Abstract

Organic Chemistry The Mitsunobu reaction is widely used to invert the configuration of alcohols. However, its major drawback is the need to activate the alcohol with a full equivalent of phosphine, thereby generating a phosphine oxide co-product. Beddoe et al. report a phosphine oxide compound that achieves the same result catalytically (see the Perspective by Longwitz and Werner). The key is a phenol substituent that can reversibly bond through its oxygen to phosphorus, forming a ring that the alcohol opens. The phosphorus thus remains in the +5 oxidation state throughout the reaction, and water is the only by-product. Science , this issue p. [910][1]; see also p. [866][2] [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.aax3353 [2]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.aay6635

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