Phosphonium Chlorides
Phosphonium Chlorides
Phosphonium chloride (R4P+ Cl-) compounds are the chloride derivatives of phosphines (R3P). Examples of phosphonium chloride include tetraphenylphosphonium chloride, tetrakis(anilinomethyl)phosphonium chloride, tetrakis(hydroxymethyl)-phosphonium chloride, trihexyl(tetradecyl)phosphonium chloride, and benzyltriphenylphosphonium chloride. Generally, in alkene synthesis a precursor which is used for the preparation for Wittig reagent are the alkyl derivatives of phosphonium chlorides. The phosphonium chlorides are also employed in the Kirsanov and Appel reactions. In various chemical reactions, phosphonium chlorides are normally used as an interphasic transfer catalyst, a polymerization catalyst, and a trans-halogenation catalyst.
Tetrakis(hydroxymethyl)phosphonium chloride find its application as a precursor to fire-retardant materials, and also in the production of wrinkle-resistant and flame-retardant cotton materials and other cellulose fabrics in the textile industry. The trihexyl(tetradecyl)phosphonium chloride is proven to be an effective surface-active agent to recover oil. Benzyltriphenylphosphonium chloride is used as an element in printing inks and as a fluoropolymer cure accelerator. Tetrakis(hydroxymethyl)phosphonium chloride has been reported as a covalent cross-linking agent for cell encapsulation within protein-based hydrogels (Chung, C., Biomacromolecules, 2012, 13, 3912?3916). Chiral quaternary phosphonium salts used in chiral phase-transfer catalysis plays an important role in modern asymmetric synthesis and organic synthesis chemistry (Yu Lide, Y. et al., Chiral Quaternary Phosphonium Salts in Asymmetric Catalysis Progress in Chemistry, 2013, 25(05), 744-751.
