No abstract

Phosphine oxides bearing two or three 2‐pyridyl groups react with organometallic reagents affording 2,2′‐bipyridyl, 2‐substituted pyridines and pyridine in good yields. Phosphonium salts and phosphine oxides, bearing at least two 2‐pyridyl or substituted 2‐pyridyl groups also give the corresponding 2,2′‐bipyridyls and pyridines upon treatment with acid or neutral solvents such as water and alcohols in substantial yields. The 2,2′‐bipyridyls are considered to be formed by ligand coupling within the pentacoordinated phosphorus intermediate formed incipiently during the reaction.

When tris(2‐pyridyl)phosphine oxide (I) is treated with organometallic reagents such as the Grignard compounds (II), the bipyridine (III) is obtained as the main product, together with pyridine (IV) and only small amounts of the 2‐substituted pyridines (V).

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