Diphosphination of CO2 and CS2 mediated by frustrated Lewis pairs – catalytic route to phosphanyl derivatives of formic and dithioformic acid

Abstract

The first example of CO₂ diphosphination is described. Reactions of unsymmetrical diphosphanes with CE₂ (E = O, S) catalyzed by BPh₃ insert a CE₂ molecule into the P–P bond with formation of the products of the general formula R₂P–E–C(E)–PR₂. The obtained CO₂ adducts arise from synergistic interaction of diphosphane and borane with CO₂ molecule.