The Atherton–Todd‐type reaction of hydrospirophosphoranes (HSPs) and sodium alcoholates was investigated. Direct alkoxylation of HSPs was accomplished with sodium alcoholates in acetonitrile under nitrogen atmosphere. The stereochemistry mechanism of the alkoxidation of HSPs was proposed by the 31P NMR tracing experiment. The reaction proceeded via the chlorinated spirophosphorane intermediate with stereoretention of the configuration at phosphorus, followed by the rear and front attack of alkoxide anions to produce alkoxy spirophosphoranes. The reaction mechanism well explained the results of the reaction of HSPs with sodium alcoholates.

The classical Atherton–Todd reaction has been successfully applied to the synthesis of pentacoordinate pyrospirophosphoranes containing a P‐O‐P bond under mild conditions. The absolute configurations of the products were confirmed by X‐ray diffraction analysis and spectroscopic identification. And 31P NMR chemical shifts of the products were correlated with stereochemistry. A possible mechanism for explaining the stereochemistry of the reaction was proposed, and it could well explain the results of the reactions of different pentacoordinate hydrospirophosphoranes.

The stereochemical mechanism of the nucleophilic substitution reaction at pentacoordinate phosphorus (P–V) atom is rarely studied. Here, we report the Atherton-Todd-type reaction of pentacoordinate hydrospiro­phosphorane with phenolic compounds in detail. The stereochemical mechanism of nucleophilic substitution at P–V atom was proposed by 31P NMR tracing experiment, X-ray diffraction analysis, and density functional theory calculations. The first step of the Atherton-Todd-type reaction is the formation of halogenated spirophosphorane intermediate with retention of configuration at phosphorus definitely. The second step is a nucleophilic substitution reaction at P–V atom of halogenated spirophosphorane. When using CCl4 as a halogenating agent, the reaction of chlorinated spirophosphorane proceeds via SN2­(P–V) mechanism, and the backside attack of P–Cl bond is the main pathway. For chlorinated spirophosphorane with ΔP configuration, the completely P-inverted product is normally obtained. As for chlorinated spirophosphorane with ΛP configuration, which has larger steric hindrance behind P–Cl bond, the proportion of P-retained products apparently increases and a pair of diastereoisomers is acquired. Furthermore, if CBr4 is used as a halogenating agent, the nucleophilic substitution reaction of brominated spirophosphorane may go through a SN1­(P–V) mechanism to afford a pair of diastereoisomers.

No abstract