Dual-Responsive Phosphorus-Based Fluorescent Sensors: Synthesis and Selective Metal Sensing of Pyrazolyl Phosphine Oxides.

Despite a wealth of previously reported frameworks for fluorescent metal sensors, there are few examples of phosphorus-based fluorophores being used in metal sensing applications. Here, we report the synthesis and characterization of a new family of pyrazolyl phosphine oxides and their use in metal sensing applications. The mechanism of their formation has been probed in detail with both computational and experimental studies, rationalizing the selectivity of the reaction.

Tuning the Electronic Properties of Azophosphines as Ligands and Their Application in Base-Free Transfer Hydrogenation Catalysis.

The design and tuning of new ligands is crucial for unlocking new reactivity at transition metal centers. Azophosphines have recently emerged as a new class of 1,3-P,N ligands in ruthenium piano-stool complexes. This work shows that the azophosphine synthesis can tolerate -aryl substituents with strongly electron-donating and electron-withdrawing -R groups and that the nature of this R group can affect the spectroscopic and structural properties of the azophosphines, as measured by NMR spectroscopy, UV-vis spectroscopy, single-crystal X-ray diffraction, and DFT studies.

Azophosphines: Synthesis, Structure and Coordination Chemistry.

The conceptual replacement of nitrogen with phosphorus in common organic functional groups unlocks new properties and reactivity. The phosphorus-containing analogues of triazenes are underexplored but offer great potential as flexible and small bite-angle ligands. This manuscript explores the synthesis and characterisation of a family of air-stable azophosphine-borane complexes, and their subsequent deprotection to the free azophosphines.