H-spirophosphoranes—Promising ligands in transition metal chemistry, an outlook of their coordination and catalytic properties

The paper gives a short survey on the coordination properties of H-spirophosphoranes towards transition metals. The emphasis is on the application of H-spirophosphorane complexes in catalysis. Spirophosphoranes supported by transition metals, palladium or rhodium, have been identified as ligands in metal-catalysed enantioselective catalysis; connected to palladium centres, they exhibit catalytic properties in cross-coupling reactions. Rhenium complexes incorporating spirophosphoranes appear to act as excellent co-catalysts in oxidation reactions. It is demonstrated how fine tuning within the structure of phosphorus ligands can determine the catalytic properties of transition metal complexes.

► Overview of H-spirophosphorane based transition metal complexes. ► Description of their diversity in term of coordination modes. ► Illustrates how tuning the architecture surrounding the phosphorus centre affects the catalytic activity of the complexes.