A straightforward access to ruthenium-coordinated fluorophosphines from phosphorous oxyacids

Abstract

The transformation of phosphorous oxyacids into the corresponding fluorophosphines was mediated by [RuCp(PPh₃)₂Cl] under mild reaction conditions using a soft deoxofluorinating agent. The reaction is selective, proceeds with high yields and can be extended to a wide range of phosphorous oxyacids once coordinated to the ruthenium synthon [RuCp(PPh₃)₂]⁺ as their hydroxyphosphine tautomer. Deoxofluorination of phenylphosphinic acid was also mediated by [RuCp^R(CH₃CN)₃]PF₆, where Cp^R: Cp = C₅H₅, Cp* = C₅Me₅, and [Ru(η⁶-p-cymene)(μ-Cl)Cl]₂. X-Ray single crystal structures of the two new derivatives, [RuCp(PPh₃)₂{PhP(OH)₂}]CF₃SO₃ and [Ru(η⁶-p-cymene)Cl₂{PhP(OH)₂}] have been determined.