An approach to 7-aza-1-phosphanorbornane complexes: strain promoted rearrangement of 1-iminylphosphirane complexes and cycloaddition with olefins

Abstract

1-Iminylphosphirane W(CO)₅ complexes react with alkenes under an atmosphere of CO at 130 °C to form the original 7-aza-1-phosphanorbornane complexes. The reaction works well with both electron-rich and electron-poor alkenes. On the basis of DFT calculations, we propose a mechanism including the rearrangement of phosphirane into a dipolar five-membered ring and the following cycloaddition of this dipolar intermediate with alkenes.