Reactivity of Trivalent Phosphorus Derivatives

The review deals with the most important features of phosphorus(III) derivatives, which determine their chemical properties. These are the biphilicity of the phosphorus atoms due to the presence of a free electron pair and unfilled d orbitals and the ambidentate properties of phosphorus(III) derivatives determined by the specific contribution of both nucleophilic elements (O, N, S) and elements with vacant d orbitals (Si, Sn) directly linked to the phosphorus atom. Certain limits and characteristics of this contribution have been elucidated and the mechanism of the relevant reactions has been discussed. The last section deals with the specificity of the behaviour of phosphorus(III) compounds with a phosphorus–halogen bond. The significant role of the d orbitals of the phosphorus atom in its chemical reactivity is discussed. The bibliography comprises 197 references.