Novel Organophosphorus Compounds for Materials and Organic Synthesis

This thesis is devoted to the development of new organophosphorus compounds for potential uses in material science and as reagents in Organic Chemistry. Organophosphorus compounds in a single molecule or organic electronics context are appealing as the phosphorous centers perturb the electronic properties of the π-conjugated systems while at the same time provide synthetic handles for subsequent synthetic modifications. As such, new synthetic methodology to such compounds and the exploration of new building blocks is of considerable interest. In a different study, novel organophosphorus compounds are synthesized and shown to promote a reaction in Organic Chemistry that has previously not been possible, i.e. the stereoselective reductive coupling of aldehydes to alkenes. Such developments enlarge the toolkit of reactions that are available to Organic Chemists, and may impact the synthetic routes to pharmaceuticals and other important commodity chemicals. A general introduction of the key structural unit of this thesis, phosphaalkenes, is given in the first chapter. The synthesis, reactivity, properties and applications of these P=C double bond containing compounds are highlighted. The Wittig reaction and its variations as well as the phosphorus analogues that produce phosphaalkenes are outlined in detail. The second chapter is dedicated to the synthesis of a precursor that is used for the preparation of novel π-conjugated, organophosphorus compounds. C,C-Dibromophosphaalkenes are prepared and the halide substituents are used for the selective introduction of acetylene units. Besides the phosphaalkenes, the successful syntheses of two new diphosphenes is presented, indicating a broad applicability of the precursors. The third chapter is dedicated to the isolation of a metal-free phosphanylphosphonate that transforms aldehydes quantitatively to their corresponding E-phosphaalkenes in a transition metal-free phospha-HWE (Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons) reaction. The reaction benefits from mild conditions, high E-stereoselectivity, and a broad substrate scope. In the last chapter, a novel method for the reductive coupling of aldehydes to olefins is introduced. The reaction, which is a vast improvement over the McMurry coupling, allows for the selective synthesis of symmetrical and most importantly unsymmetrical E-alkenes. The phosphanylphosphonate mentioned above is the reagent that facilitates the coupling of the aldehydes via a phosphaalkene intermediate. This one-pot reaction benefits from mild conditions, good conversions, and high E-stereoselectivity. In summary, the thesis presents novel aspects of organophosphorus chemistry. These include the preparations and exploration of interesting precursors for the construction of π-conjugated organophosphorus compounds, and the use of organophosphorus reagents for unprecedented transformations in Organic Chemistry