Selective Dehydrocoupling of Phosphines by Lithium Chloride Carbenoids

The
development of a simple, transition-metal-free approach for
the formation of phosphorus–phosphorus bonds through dehydrocoupling
of phosphines is presented. The reaction is mediated by electronically
stabilized lithium chloride carbenoids and affords a variety of different
diphosphines under mild reaction conditions. The developed protocol
is simple and highly efficient and allows the isolation of novel functionalized
diphosphines in high yields.