Triphenylphosphine dichloride is an
organophosphorus
Organophosphorus chemistry is the scientific study of the synthesis and properties of organophosphorus compounds, which are organic compounds containing phosphorus. They are used primarily in pest control as an alternative to chlorinated hydrocarb ...
compound with the
chemical formula
A chemical formula is a way of presenting information about the chemical proportions of atoms that constitute a particular chemical compound or molecule, using chemical element symbols, numbers, and sometimes also other symbols, such as pare ...
, often abbreviated as , where Ph is
phenyl
In organic chemistry, the phenyl group, or phenyl ring, is a cyclic group of atoms with the formula , and is often represented by the symbol Ph (archaically φ) or Ø. The phenyl group is closely related to benzene and can be viewed as a benzene ...
. It is a
chlorinating agent widely used in organic chemistry. Applications include the conversion of
alcohol
Alcohol may refer to:
Common uses
* Alcohol (chemistry), a class of compounds
* Ethanol, one of several alcohols, commonly known as alcohol in everyday life
** Alcohol (drug), intoxicant found in alcoholic beverages
** Alcoholic beverage, an alco ...
s and
ether
In organic chemistry, ethers are a class of compounds that contain an ether group, a single oxygen atom bonded to two separate carbon atoms, each part of an organyl group (e.g., alkyl or aryl). They have the general formula , where R and R ...
s to
alkyl chloride
Organochlorine chemistry is concerned with the properties of organochlorine compounds, or organochlorides, organic compounds that contain one or more carbon–chlorine bonds. The chloroalkane class (alkanes with one or more hydrogens substituted ...
s, the cleavage of
epoxide
In organic chemistry, an epoxide is a cyclic ether, where the ether forms a three-atom ring: two atoms of carbon and one atom of oxygen. This triangular structure has substantial ring strain, making epoxides highly reactive, more so than other ...
s to vicinal dichlorides and the chlorination of
carboxylic acid
In organic chemistry, a carboxylic acid is an organic acid that contains a carboxyl group () attached to an Substituent, R-group. The general formula of a carboxylic acid is often written as or , sometimes as with R referring to an organyl ...
s to
acyl chloride
In organic chemistry, an acyl chloride (or acid chloride) is an organic compound with the functional group . Their formula is usually written , where R is a side chain. They are reactive derivatives of carboxylic acids (). A specific example o ...
s.
Structure
In
polar solvent
A solvent (from the Latin language, Latin ''wikt:solvo#Latin, solvō'', "loosen, untie, solve") is a substance that dissolves a solute, resulting in a Solution (chemistry), solution. A solvent is usually a liquid but can also be a solid, a gas ...
s such as
acetonitrile
Acetonitrile, often abbreviated MeCN (methyl cyanide), is the chemical compound with the formula and structure . This colourless liquid is the simplest organic nitrile (hydrogen cyanide is a simpler nitrile, but the cyanide anion is not class ...
, adopts an ionic
phosphonium salt
In chemistry, the term phosphonium (more obscurely: phosphinium) describes polyatomic cations with the chemical formula (where R is a hydrogen or an alkyl, aryl, organyl or halogen group). These cations have tetrahedral structures. The salt ...
structure, (chlorotriphenylphosphonium chloride),
whereas in
non-polar solvents like
diethyl ether
Diethyl ether, or simply ether, is an organic compound with the chemical formula , sometimes abbreviated as . It is a colourless, highly Volatility (chemistry), volatile, sweet-smelling ("ethereal odour"), extremely flammable liquid. It belongs ...
it exists as a non-solvated
trigonal bipyramidal molecule. Two species can also adopt an unusual dinuclear ionic structure—both interacting with a via long Cl–Cl contacts.
Synthesis
Triphenylphosphine dichloride is usually prepared fresh by the addition of chlorine to
triphenylphosphine
Triphenylphosphine (IUPAC name: triphenylphosphane) is a common organophosphorus compound with the formula P(C6H5)3 and often abbreviated to P Ph3 or Ph3P. It is versatile compound that is widely used as a reagent in organic synthesis and as a l ...
.
:
Both reagents are typically used in solution to ensure the correct
stoichiometry
Stoichiometry () is the relationships between the masses of reactants and Product (chemistry), products before, during, and following chemical reactions.
Stoichiometry is based on the law of conservation of mass; the total mass of reactants must ...
.
can also be obtained by the reaction of
iodobenzene dichloride () and triphenylphosphine.
[Carle, M. S., Shimokura, G. K. and Murphy, G. K. (2016), Iodobenzene Dichloride in the Esterification and Amidation of Carboxylic Acids: In-Situ Synthesis of Ph3PCl2. Eur. J. Org. Chem., 2016: 3930–3933. ]
Alternatively, can be obtained by chlorination of
triphenylphosphine oxide
Triphenylphosphine oxide (often abbreviated TPPO) is the organophosphorus compound with the formula , also written as or (Ph = ). It is one of the more common phosphine oxides. This colourless crystalline compound is a common but potentially u ...
with, for example,
phosphorus trichloride
Phosphorus trichloride is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula PCl3. A colorless liquid when pure, it is an important industrial chemical, being used for the manufacture of phosphites and other organophosphorus compounds. It is toxic ...
, as in Grignard's original 1931 synthesis.
References
{{reflist
Reagents for organic chemistry
Phenyl compounds
Organophosphorus compounds