Reduction of Aromatic Ketones or Thioketones with Phenylphosphine

Article abstract of DOI:10.1246/bcsj.58.2577

Reactions of certain aromatic ketones or thioketones with phenylphosphine and subsequent addition of diethyl disulfide gave the reduction products of the ketones and S,S-diethyl phenylphosphonodithioate or S,S-diethyl phenylphosphonotrithioate.A possible intermediate of the phosphine moiety was suggested to be phenylphosphinylidene or phenylphosphinothioylidene .The reduction of 10,10'-bianthrone and Δ^10,10'-bianthrone resulted in the cleavage of the carbon-carbon single and double bonds and the reduction of the carbonyl groups, respectively.