THERMOLYSIS OF 2-PHOSPHABICYCLO(2.2.2)OCTA-5,7-DIENES: GENERATION AND TRAPPING OF P-METHYL- AND P-PHENYLPHOSPHAETHENE

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0040-4039(01)81052-2

P-Methyl- and P-phenylphosphaethene were generated in solution under very mild conditions in virtually quantitative yield by a thermally-induced extrusion of the phosphorus-containing bridge from appropriately substituted 2-phosphabicyclo(2.2.2)octa-5,7-dienes.The phosphaethenes so formed, the simplest yet produced by conventional methods, are trapped readily in (2+4) cycloadditions with conjugated dienes.