Stereocontrolled Copper Iodide Catalyzed Phosphorus-Carbon Bond Formation: An Efficient Synthesis of Scalemic Tertiary Phosphineboranes

A mild and efficient protocol for P-C bond formation was developed with sub-stoichiometric amounts of copper iodide as a catalyst. A series of sterically and electronically divergent phosphineboranes were subjected to coupling reactions and the corresponding products were obtained in high yields with retention of configuration. The reaction proceeded under non-basic conditions thus avoiding base-catalyzed racemization.