An Air‐Stable Storage Compound for White Phosphorus: Reversible Addition to a Stannylene and Chemical Release of P4

Abstract

AbstractControlled insertion into a single P−P bond of white phosphorus (P4) was achieved by employing a diaryl stabilized stannylene, Ar*2Sn (Ar*=2,6‐bis(benzhydryl)‐4‐iPr‐phenyl). Conversions of the stannylene with P4 gave a non‐pyrophoric, air‐stable storage compound, which releases P4 quantitively upon irradiation with light (354 or 455 nm). Alternatively, the phosphorus cage is detached by reacting the storage compound with PhChChPh (Ch=Se, Te). Despite the recent advances in the directed conversion of P4 using main group element compounds, Ar*2Sn constitutes only the second structurally characterized example of a stannylene capable of performing controlled, reversible addition and release of white phosphorus.