PUB - Publikationen an der Universität Bielefeld

The renaissance of Bronsted superbases is primarily based on their pronounced capability for a large variety of chemical transformations under mild reaction conditions. Four major set screws are available for the selective tuning of the basicity: the nature of the basic center (N, P, ), the degree of electron donation by substituents to the central atom, the possibility of charge delocalization, and the energy gain by hydrogen bonding. Within the past decades, a plethora of neutral electron-rich phosphine and phosphazene bases appeared in the literature. Their outstanding properties and advantages over inorganic or charged bases have made them now indispensable as auxiliary bases in deprotonation processes. Also, their utilization in catalysis or as ligands in coordination chemistry is highlighted due to broad-spread interest. Here we give an update of the chemistry of basic phosphines and phosphazenes. © 2021 Wiley-VCH GmbH.