MW irradiation and ionic liquids as green tools in hydrolyses and alcoholyses

Abstract

The optimized HCl-catalyzed hydrolysis of alkyl diphenylphosphinates is described. The reaction times and pseudo-first-order rate constants suggested the iPr > Me > Et ∼ Pr ∼ Bu order of reactivity in respect of the alkyl group of the phosphinates. The MW-assisted p-toluenesulfonic acid (PTSA)-catalyzed variation means a better alternative possibility due to the shorter reaction times, and the alkaline hydrolysis is another option. The transesterification of alkyl diphenylphosphinates took place only in the presence of suitable ionic liquids, such as butyl-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphorate ([bmim][PF6]) and butyl-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([bmim][BF4]). The application of ethyl-methylimidazolium hydrosulfate ([emim][HSO4]) and butyl-methylimidazolium chloride ([bmim][Cl]) was not too efficient, as the formation of the ester was accompanied by the fission of the O–C bond resulting in the formation of Ph2P(O)OH. This surprising transformation may be utilized in the phosphinate → phosphinic acid conversion.

Keywords

• phosphinic derivatives
• hydrolysis
• alcoholysis
• microwave irradiation
• ionic liquids