Reactivity of allenylphosphonates/allenylphosphine oxides – some new addition/cycloaddition and cyclization pathways

Abstract

Abstract In this paper, we highlight some addition/cycloaddition reactions of allenylphosphonates and allenylphosphine oxides, mostly based on the work done in our laboratory. Thus the electrophilic addition of iodine monochloride (ICl) with allenylphosphine oxides affords cyclic phosphonium salts rather than γ-chloro-β-iodovinylphosphine oxides (NMR, HRMS, X-ray) that exhibit rather unusual downfield shifts in the 31P NMR spectra. These compounds undergo hydrolysis to afford γ-hydroxy-β-iodovinylphosphine oxides; the hydroxymethyl group in these compounds can be oxidized by Dess-Martin periodinane to afford the corresponding aldehyde-substituted vinylphosphine oxides. A [2+2] cycloaddition product of an allenylphosphonate has also been structurally characterized. Other reactions that are highlighted include those leading to (Z)/(E)-β-aminovinylphosphonates, β-ketophosphonates (and their utility in Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons reaction), indolyl/furanyl/isocoumaranyl/naphthyl phosphine oxides, thiophosphorylated phosphonates and azo-substituted coumarin phosphonates.