title: Main group redox catalysis: reversible P(III)/P(V) redox cycling at a phosphorus platform.
abstract: A planar, trivalent phosphorus compound is shown to undergo reversible two-electron redox cycling (P(III)/P(V)) enabling its use as catalyst for a transfer hydrogenation reaction. The trivalent phosphorus compound activates ammonia-borane to furnish a 10-P-5 dihydridophosphorane, which in turn is shown to transfer hydrogen cleanly to azobenzene, yielding diphenylhydrazine and regenerating the initial trivalent phosphorus species. This result constitutes a rare example of two-electron redox catalysis at a main group compound and suggests broader potential for this nonmetal platform to support bond-modifying redox catalysis of the type dominated by transition metal catalysts.
authors: Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA.
authors: Nicole L
authors: NL
authors: Dunn
authors: Minji
authors: M
authors: Ha
authors: Alexander T
authors: AT
authors: Radosevich