Communications

Safe, simple and efficient approach to bicyclic phosphines based on magnesium phosphide

I. E. Nifant'ev^ab, V. V. Bagrov^ab, P. V. Ivchenko<sup>ab

a</sup> A. V. Topchiev Institute of Petrochemical Synthesis, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russian Federation
^b Department of Chemistry, M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russian Federation

Abstract: Reactions of cycloocta-1,5-diene and (R)-limonene with PH₃ result in formation of bicyclic secondary phosphines, applicable in the synthesis of terniary phosphine ligands. To avoid the problems of storage and handling of PH₃, we suggest the use of Mg₃P₂ in its available form, Magtoxin®, as a phosphine source. Higher yields of the target products were confirmed by DFT modeling of the multistep free-radical addition of PH₃ to cyclic dienes with the assumption of intramolecular hydrogen transfer at a rate-limiting step.

Keywords: dienes, free-radical addition, magnesium phosphide, phobanes, phosphines.

Received: 11.09.2025
Accepted: 27.10.2025

Language: English

DOI: 10.71267/mencom.7915