Phosphinite

---

title: "Phosphinite" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["functional-groups", "phosphinites"] description: "Organic compounds of the formula P(OR)R2" topic_path: "general/functional-groups" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phosphinite" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Organic compounds of the formula P(OR)R2 ::

::callout[type=note] Not to be confused with phosphonite (formula P(OR)2R) . ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7b/Generic-phosphinite-2D.svg" caption="[[Structural formula]] of a generic phosphinite, R represents a [[side chain]]."] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2d/Methyl-diphenylphosphinite-2D-skeletal.png" caption="[[Skeletal formula]] of methyl diphenylphosphinite"] ::

In organic chemistry, phosphinites are organophosphorus compounds with the formula . They are used as ligands in homogeneous catalysis and coordination chemistry.

Preparation

Phosphinites are prepared by alcoholysis of organophosphinous chlorides. For example, treatment of chlorodiphenylphosphine with methanol and base gives methyl diphenylphosphinite:

:ClPPh2 + CH3OH → CH3OPPh2 + HCl

Although they are esters of phosphinous acids (R2POH), phosphinites are not made via such intermediates.

Reactions

Oxidation of phosphinites gives phosphinates:

:2 P(OR)R2 + O2 → 2 OP(OR)R2

Phosphinites are ligands, giving derivatives similar to metal phosphine complexes. They are stronger pi-acceptors than typical phosphine ligands.

References

References

1. D. E. C. Corbridge. (1995). "Phosphorus: An Outline of its Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Technology". Elsevier.
2. (2012). "Phosphorus(III) Ligands in Homogeneous Catalysis: Design and Synthesis".

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::