Three porous polymer networks (PPNs) have been synthesized by the homocoupling of tetrahedral monomers. Like other hyper-cross-linked polymer networks, these materials are insoluble in conventional solvents and exhibit high thermal and chemical stability. Their porosity was confirmed by N2 sorption isotherms at 77 K. One of these materials, PPN-3, has a Langmuir surface area of 5323 m2 g−1. Their clean energy applications, especially in H2, CH4, and CO2 storage, as well as CO2/CH4 separation, have been carefully investigated. Although PPN-1 has the highest gas affinity because of its smaller pore size, the maximal gas uptake capacity is directly proportional to their surface area. PPN-3 has the highest H2 uptake capacity among these three (4.28 wt %, 77 K). Although possessing the lowest surface area, PPN-1 shows the best CO2/CH4 selectivity among them.

Reactions of the tertiary phosphines R(3)P (R = Me, Bu, Oct, Cy, Ph) with 35% aqueous H(2)O(2) gives the corresponding oxides as the H(2)O(2) adducts R(3)P=O·(H(2)O(2))(x) (x = 0.5-1.0). Air oxidation leads to a mixture of products due to the insertion of oxygen into one or more P-C bonds. (31)P NMR spectroscopy in solution and in the solid state, as well as IR spectroscopy reveal distinct features of the phosphine oxides as compared to their H(2)O(2) adducts. The single crystal X-ray analyses of Bu(3)P=O and [Cy(3)P=O·(H(2)O(2))](2) show a P=O stacking motif for the phosphine oxide and a cyclic structure, in which the six oxygen atoms exhibit a chair conformation for the dimeric H(2)O(2) adduct. Different methods for the decomposition of the bound H(2)O(2) and the removal of the ensuing strongly adsorbed H(2)O are evaluated. Treating R(3)P=O·(H(2)O(2))(x) with molecular sieves destroys the bound H(2)O(2) safely under mild conditions (room temperature, toluene) within one hour and quantitatively removes the adsorbed H(2)O from the hygroscopic phosphine oxides within four hours. At 60 °C the entire decomposition/drying process is complete within one hour.

Solid-state NMR spectroscopy of selected phosphine oxides adsorbed on silica surfaces establishes the surface mobilities, even of phosphine oxides with high melting points. Crystal structures of the adducts Ph3 PO⋅HOSiPh3 and Cy3 PO⋅H2 O indicate that the interactions with silica involve hydrogen bonding of the P=O group to adsorbed water and surface silanol groups.

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Aqueous hydrogen peroxide is widely used as an oxidizing agent in industry and academia. Herein, the hydrogen peroxide adducts of phosphine oxides, [tBu3PO⋅H2O2]2 and [Ph3PO⋅H2O2]2⋅H2O2, are described. Additionally, the corresponding di(hydroperoxy)propane adducts R3PO⋅(HOO)2CMe2 (R=Cy, Ph) were synthesized and characterized. All adducts could be obtained as large single crystals suitable for structural characterization by X-ray crystallography and solid-state NMR spectroscopy. The di(hydroperoxy)propane adducts are soluble in organic solvents which enables oxidation reactions in one phase. As the adducts are solid and molecular, they can easily be applied stoichiometrically. No loss of oxidizing power occurs upon long-term storage of the single crystals at room temperature or the powders at -20 °C.