Metal-free visible-light-induced phosphorylation of unactivated alkyl iodides with white phosphorus as the P-atom source

The development of practical and mild catalytic methods for the direct transformation of white phosphorus into value-added organophosphorus compounds, without the hazardous chlorination step, represents an important advancement in the field of organic synthesis. The first organic-dye-catalyzed radical cascade alkylation of white phosphorus with unactivated alkyl iodides was developed, which selectively afforded structurally diverse dialkylphosphines in moderate to good yields. This practical reaction operates under metal-free conditions and exhibits good functional group tolerance and high phosphorus conversion. This is the first organic-dye-catalyzed alkylation of white phosphorus with unactivated alkyl iodides to afford dialkylphosphines.