Sterically crowded triarylphosphines bearing cyano groups

Sterically crowded triarylphosphines bearing one, two, and three cyano groups at 4-positions of aromatic substituents, namely, (4-cyano-2,6-diisopropylphenyl)(n)(2,4,6-Misopropylphenyl)(3-n)P (n = 1, 2, 3), were synthesized. Influence of the introduction of cyano groups is clearly reflected to the oxidation potentials and the fluorescence wavelengths. As the number of cyano groups increases, the oxidation potentials are raised and the fluorescence wavelengths are blue-shifted. Synthetic utility of the (cyanoaryl)phosphine is also demonstrated. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.