Highly regio- and stereoselective hydrophosphinylation of acetylenes with diphenylphosphine oxide catalyzed by immobilization of rhodium in MCM-41

Highly regio- and stereoselective hydrophosphinylation of a wide range of acetylenes with diphenylphosphine oxide was achieved in toluene at 70 °C in the presence of 2 mol% of an MCM-41-immobilized bidentate phosphine rhodium complex [MCM-41-2P-RhCl(PPh3)], yielding a variety of (E)-alkenylphosphine oxides in good to excellent yields. This heterogeneous rhodium catalyst can be easily recovered and recycled by a simple filtration of the reaction solution and used for at least 10 consecutive trials without significant loss of activity or selectivity.