Hydrogen Peroxide → Bis(2-phenylethyl)phosphinic acid

Participants

Reaction Steps

Hydrogen peroxide (0.45 mL, 30%, 4.36 mmol) was added dropwise over 1 minute to crude bis(2-phenylethyl)phosphinous acid (1.12 g, 4.34 mmol) in methanol (6.5 mL). After 16 hours, the solvent was evaporated. The residue was basified with 1M NaOH and extracted twice with hexanes. The aqueous layer was acidified with 12M HCl, and the precipitate was filtered, rinsed with water, and dried in vacuo, affording crude product (628 mg) mp 70°-77° C., which was recrystallized from hot ethanol-water (50:50) to give bis(2-phenylethyl)phosphinic acid (364 mg) as a white solid, mp 84°-87° C. NMR δ2.02 (4H, m), 2.94 (4H, q), 6.8 (1H, br. s), 7.24 (10H, m).

Provenance & Evidence