Aluminium chloride-catalysed reactions of 1-alkyl-3,5-di-t-butylbenzenes with phosphorus trichloride. Migration of a t-butyl group to the phosphorus atom

Abstract

Aluminium chloride-catalysed reactions of 1-alkyl-3,5-di-t-butylbenzenes with phosphorus trichloride gave (3-alkyl-5-t-butylphenyl)-t-butylphosphinic chlorides (alkyl = Bu^t, Me, or Prⁱ) after hydrolysis. The previous identification of 2,4,6-tri-t-butylphenylphosphinic chloride as the product obtained from tri-t-butylbenzene has thus been shown to be incorrect. The reaction proceeds by migration of one t-butyl group from the benzene ring to the phosphorus atom.