82. Tipker, R. M.; Muldoon, J. A.; Pham, D. H.; Varga, B. R.; Hughes, R. P.; Glueck, D. S.; Balaich, G. J.; Rheingold, A. L. Configurational Lability at Tetrahedral Phosphorus: syn/anti-Isomerization of a P-Stereogenic Phosphiranium Cation by Intramolecular Epimerization at Phosphorus. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2022, 61, e202110753.


phosphiranium_TOC

Abstract

Tetrahedral main-group compounds are normally configurationally stable, but P-epimerization of the chiral phosphiranium cations syn- or anti-[Mes*P(Me)CH2CHPh][OTf] (Mes*=2,4,6-(t-Bu)3C6H2) occurred under mild conditions at 60 °C in CD2Cl2, resulting in isomerization to give a syn-enriched equilibrium mixture. Ion exchange with excess [NBu4][Δ-TRISPHAT] (Δ-TRISPHAT=Δ-P(o-C6Cl4O2)3) followed by chromatography on silica removed [NBu4][OTf] and gave mixtures of syn- and anti-[Mes*P(Me)CH2CHPh][Δ-TRISPHAT]⋅x[NBu4][Δ-TRISPHAT]. NMR spectroscopy showed that isomerization proceeded with epimerization at P and retention at C. DFT calculations are consistent with a mechanism involving P-C cleavage to yield a hyperconjugation-stabilized carbocation, pyramidal inversion promoted by σ-interaction of the P lone pair with the neighboring β-carbocation, and ring closure with inversion of configuration at P.


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