Challenges in Catalytic Hydrophosphination

Abstract

Despite significant advances, metal-catalyzed hydrophosphination has ample room for discovery, growth, and development. Many of the key successes in metal-catalyzed hydrophosphination over the last decade have indicated what is needed and what is yet to come. Reactivity that is absent from the literature also speaks to the challenges in catalytic hydrophosphination. This Concept article discusses and highlights recent developments that address the ongoing challenges, and identifies areas in metal-catalyzed hydrophosphination that are underdeveloped. Advances in product selectivity, catalyst design, and both unsaturated and phosphine substrates illustrate the ongoing development of the field. Like all catalytic transformations, the benefits are realized through catalyst, ligand, and conditions, and consideration of those features are the route to a yet more efficient and broadly applicable reaction.

Keywords: alkenes; alkynes; heterofunctionalization; homogeneous catalysis; phosphanes.