A Stable Methyl Phosphane Oxide/Lithium Amide Complex: a Structural and MO Calculational Investigation of the Mechanism of Proton Abstraction by Alkali Metal Reagents†

Abstract
The initiation step in a deprotonation of CH‐acidic compounds could be the formation of a complex between the organic precursor and the metalation reagent. This is the conclusion drawn from the reaction of Ph2P(O)CH3 with (Me3Si)2NLi, which yielded a stable dimeric adduct [(Me3Si)2NLi·OP(CH3)Ph2]2 with a central Li2N2 ring. MO calculations on the model system H2LiNLi·OP(CH3)2 support these experimental findings.

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