Experimental and Quantum Chemical Studies of 2-Phosphinylphenol Derivatives

Abstract

Carbon-oxygen bonds ortho to a phosphoryl group in triarylphosphine oxides undergo cleavage when the oxides are either fused with potassium hydroxide or treated with potassium tert-butoxide in refluxing toluene, presumably through a nucleophilic addition-elimination mechanism. Thus, bis(2-hydroxyphenyl)phenylphosphine oxide is produced along with the expected 2-phenoxyphenyl(phenyl)phosphinic acid from 10-phenyl-10H-phenoxaphosphine 10-oxide. The latter starting material is also produced, together with bis(2-hydroxyphenyl)phenylphosphine oxide, when bis(2-methoxyphenyl)phenylphosphine oxide is fused with potassium hydroxide. Fusion of bis(2-methoxyphenyl)phenylphosphine oxide with sodium hydroxide, however, yields 2-hydroxyphenyl(phenyl)phosphinic acid. Ab initio quantum chemical studies confirm that the downfield 31P chemical shift that is observed in 2-phosphinylphenols is due to hydrogen bonding to the phosphoryl group.