PART 111. PHENYLBISTRIFLUOROMETHYLPHOSPHINE AND RELATED COMPOUNDS1 ABSTRACT 'I'he reaction of trifluoroiodomethane with tetraphenylcyclotetraphosphine leads to the rormation of ~henvlbistrifluoromethvl~hos~hine and ~he~lvltrifluoromethvliodo~hos~hine. The mechanism of t h e reaction is discusseh and the physfcal and chemical prbpert'ies of these compounds itre reported. Bromine reacts with phenylbistrifluoromethylphosphine to form phenylbistrifluoron~ethyldibromophosphorane which is hydrolyzed to phenyltrifluoromethylphosphinic acicl, CGH~(CF~)P(O)OH.
INTRODUC'I'IONIn previous papers in this series, the donor properties of methyl-trifluorometh ylphosphines were studied by the investigation of their ability , t o form complexes with boron trifluoride and platinuin (11) chloride ( I ) , and with a series of nickel (11) salts (2). Since much is known of the corresponding coinplexes of aryl phosphines, it seemed worthwhile to study the donor properties of aryl-trifluoron~ethyl-phosphines. Unlike the inethyl-trifluoroitiethyl-phosphines which have been known for some time (3, 4, 5), the phenyl-trifluoromethyl-phosphines had not been previously reported, although their arsine a~ialogues had been prepared (6). We now report the preparation of phenylbistrifluoroniethylphosphine.
DISCUSSION AND RESULTSPhe~~ylbistrifluoron~etl~ylphosphiiie has been prepared by the reaction of trifluoroiodomethane with tetraphe~~ylcyclotetraphospl~i~~e, the properties of which have been reported by other workers (7,8,9). The reaction was performed a t 185', above the melting point of the tetraphosphine, and the other reaction products, besides phenylbistrifluoronlethylphosphine, are phenyltrifluorometl~yliodophosphine, which is a very illvolatile reddish brown liquid, and small amounts of fluoroform and hexafluoroethane.The mechanism of this reaction, involving the interaction of a perfluoroiodoalkane with a four-membered phosphorus ring is of some interest. R free-radical mechanism involving fission of phosphorus-phosphorus bonds by the attack of CFS radicals seems probable. This is supported by the fact that the reaction will occur thermally or on ultraviolet irradiation of the tetraphosphine with trifluoroiodomethane. Since the simultaneous breaking of four P-P l~o n d s is unlikely, the following reaction scheme inay be suggested. For personal use only.