Reactions of tervalent phosphorus–nitrogen compounds. Part I. Polyhalogenated alkanes

Abstract

Aminophosphines of the general structure R₂P·NHR′(R = Ph or OEt; R′= Ph or Prⁿ) react rapidly with carbon tetrachloride and bromotrichloromethane to give phosphinimines R₂P(X):NR′(X = Br, or Cl) and chloroform. The reaction proceeds by initial reaction on positive halogen followed by deprotonation of the phosphonium salt. In addition to chloroform, low yields of carbon tetrachloride and bromodichloromethane were detected in the reaction with bromotrichloromethane, showing that the trichloromethyl carbanion is formed in the free state.