Chemoselective reduction of the phosphoryl bond of O-alkyl phosphinates and related compounds: an apparently impossible transformation.

A method is reported for the phosphoryl bond cleavage of O-alkyl phosphinates, phosphinothioates and certain phosphonamidates to furnish the corresponding P(III) borane adducts. The two-step procedure relies upon initial activation of the phosphoryl bond with an alkyl triflate, followed by reduction of the resulting intermediate using lithium borohydride.

Cleavage of P=O in the presence of P-N: aminophosphine oxide reduction with in situ boronation of the P(III) product.

In contrast to tertiary phosphine oxides, the deoxygenation of aminophosphine oxides is effectively impossible due to the need to break the immensely strong and inert PO bond in the presence of a relatively weak and more reactive PN bond. This long-standing problem in organophosphorus synthesis is solved by use of oxalyl chloride, which chemoselectively cleaves the PO bond forming a chlorophosphonium salt, leaving the PN bond(s) intact. Subsequent reduction of the chlorophosphonium salt with sodium borohydride forms the P(III) aminophosphine borane adduct.