A series
of tri- and tetrasubstituted spiro-oxaphosphetanes stabilized
by ortho-benzamide (oBA) and N-methyl ortho-benzamide (MoBA) ligands have been synthesized by the reaction of Cα,Cortho-dilithiated phosphazenes with aldehydes and ketones.
They include enantiopure products and the first example of an isolated
oxaphosphetane having a phenyl substituent at C3 of the ring. Kinetic
studies of their thermal decomposition showed that the process takes
place irreversibly through a polar transition state (ρ = −0.22)
under the influence of electronic, [1,2], [1,3] steric, and solvent
effects, with C3/P-[1,2] interactions as the largest contribution
to ΔG
⧧ of olefination. Inversion
of the phosphorus configuration through stereomutation has been observed
in a number of cases. DFT calculations showed that oBA derivatives olefinated through the isolated (N, O)(Ph, C6H4, C) oxaphosphetanes (Channel A), whereas MoBA compounds decomposed faster via the isomer (C6H4, O)(C, N, Ph) formed by P-stereomutation involving a MB2 permutational mechanism (Channel B). The energy barrier
of P-isomerization is lower than that of olefination. Fragmentation
takes place in a concerted asynchronous reaction. The thermal stability
of oxaphosphetanes is determined by strong C3/P-[1,2] interactions
destabilizing the transition state of olefination. The effect of charge
distribution and C3/C4-[1,2] and C4/P-[1,3] steric and solvent interactions
on ΔG
⧧ was also evaluated.