Synthesis of tertiary phosphine oxides by alkaline hydrolysis of quaternary phosphonium zwitterions using excess t-BuOK and stoichiometric water

Hydrolysis of quaternary arylphosphonium zwitterions bearing COO− and those in situ generated from the corresponding salts bearing Ac or OH at the aryl ring by using excess t-BuOK and stoichiometric water affords tertiary arylphosphine oxides in moderate to excellent yield, in contrast to hydrolysis of these zwittertion or salts in aqueous NaOH that mainly provides phosphine oxides with the loss of the aryl group. Under the t-BuOK/water conditions, hydrolysis of carbonyl stabilized ylides Ph3P = CHCOR (R = Ph, Me, and OEt), which partially exist as phosphonium enolates, prefers to produce Ph2P(O)CH2COR. Further reduction of Ph2P(O)CH2COMe by PhSiH3 allows the preparation of Ph2PCH2COMe in 43% yield.