Reaction of tetramethyl-1,2-dioxetane with triphenylphosphine: Activation parameters for the formation of 2,2-dihydro-4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-2,2,2-triphenyl-1,3,2-dioxaphospholane

The reaction of tetramethyl-1,2-dioxetane ( 1 ) and triphenylphosphine ( 2 ) in benzene-d₆ produced 2,2-dihydro-4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-2,2,2-triphenyl-1,3,2-dioxaphospholane ( 3 ) in ?90% yield over the temperature range of 6–60°. Pinacolone and triphenylphosphine oxide ( 4 ) were the major side products additionally acetone (from thermolysis of 1 ) and tetramethyloxirane ( 5 ) were noted at the higher temperatures]. Thermal decomposition of 3 produced only 4 and 5 . Kinetic studies were carried out by the chemiluminescence method. The rate of phosphorane was found to be first order with respect to each reagent. The activation parameters for the reaction of 1 and 2 were: Ea ? 9.8 ± 0.6 kcal/mole; ΔS^≠ = ?28 eu; k_30° = 1.8 m^?1sec^?1 (range = 10–60°). Preliminary results for the reaction of 1 and tris (p-chlorophenyl)phosphine were: Ea ? 11 kcal/mole, ΔS^≠ = ?24 eu, k_30° = 1.3 M^?1sec^?1 while those for the reaction of 1 and tris(p-anisyl)phosphine were: Ea ? 8.6 kcal/mole, ΔS^≠ = ?29 eu, k_30° = 4.9 M^?1 sec^?1.