3-(1-Hydroxycyclohexyl)-2-propynenitrile reacts with tris[2-(4-pyridyl)ethyl]phosphine oxide to form mono-, bis-and tris{5-spirocyclohexyl-4-cyanomethylene-1,3-oxazolidine[3,2-a]-2-[4-(1,2-dihydropyridyl)]ethyl}phosphine oxides.Activated acetylenic compounds, in particular the methyl ether of acetylenecarboxylic acid and the dimethyl ether of acetylenedicarboxylic acid, form (normally, in low yields) heterocyclic compounds such as quinolizines, indolizines, cyclazines, by reaction with pyridine and pyridine derivatives. 1,2 Recently, 3 we have found that the reaction of pyridine and its derivatives with nitriles of a,bacetylenic g-hydroxy acids (the reactivity of which has been discussed in reviews 4,5 ) proceeds in high yields under mild conditions (r.t., without solvents and catalysts) involving the hydroxy group to give a new heterocyclic system, oxazolidinedihydropyridines. In the present work we have used the reaction for the synthesis of polyfunctional phosphine oxides from nitriles of a,b-acetylenic ghydroxy acids and recently available tris[2-(4-pyridyl)ethyl]phosphine oxide. 6,7 The present work reports some results of the research into the reaction of tris[2-(4-pyridyl)ethyl]phosphine oxide (1) with 3-(1-hydroxycyclohexyl)-2-propynenitrile (2) performed in order to obtain new organophosphorus compounds containing pyridine and oxazolidine rings, which are regarded as rather promising intermediates for organic synthesis and biologically active compounds. The reaction of hydroxycyclohexylpropynenitrile 2 with phosphine oxide 1 occurs at 20-25 °C in acetonitrile and a molar ratio of 1:10 (1:2) for 10 hours to form selectively tris{5-spirocyclohexyl-4-cyanomethylene-1,3-oxazolidine[3,2-a]-2-[4-(1,2-dihydropyridyl)]ethyl}phosphine oxide (3) in 90% yield (Scheme).The initial stages are characterized by the formation of zwitterionic intermediates A, B 3 further stabilized by closure to a 1,3-oxazolidine ring.Under comparable conditions (MeCN, 20-25 °C, 10 h) at a three-fold molar excess of the nitrile 2 the formation of mono{5-spirocyclohexyl-4-cyanomethylene-1,3-oxazolidine[3,2-a]-2-[4-(1,2-dihydropyridyl)]ethyl}phosphine oxide (4), bis{5-spirocyclohexyl-4-cyanomethylene-1,3-oxazolidine[3,2-a]-2-[4-(1,2-dihydropyridyl)]ethyl}-phosphine oxide (5) and tris{5-spirocyclohexyl-4-cyanomethylene-1,3-oxazolidine[3,2-a]-2-[4-(1,2-dihydropyridyl)]ethyl}phosphine oxide (3) occurs (total yield 55%, 3:4:5 ratio = 2:3:4) (Figure 1).An increase in the reaction time of up to 36-40 hours does not affect the ratio of isomers. It was not possible to separate the adducts (column chromatography, fractional crystallization). The reaction of phosphine oxide 1 with acetylene 2 in octane (1:2 molar ratio = 1:3, 20-25 °C) needs more time (up to 60 h) to be completed. In this case the ratio of adducts 3-5 does not change, the total yield being 40%.
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