Effects of substituents on the stabilities of phosphonyl radicals and their hydroxyphosphinyl tautomers.

High-level ab initio quantum chemical methods have been used to calculate the radical stabilization energies (RSEs) of phosphonyl radicals XYP(=O)* bearing a range of substituents X and Y. The main influences on these radicals' stabilities are sigma-effects. Due to the high positive charge on phosphorus, sigma-withdrawal is destabilizing, and sigma-donation is stabilizing.