Reactions of elemental phosphorus and phosphine with electrophiles in superbasic systems: XVIII. Phosphorylation of 1-(chloromethyl)naphthalene with the elemental phosphorus

1-Chloromethylnaphthalene reacts with white and red phosphorus, and also with the “activated red phosphorus,” the complex organophosphorus polymer of unknown structure obtained by irradiation of a solution of white phosphorus in benzene by the 60Co source, in a system including KOH water solution, dioxane or benzene, and a phase transfer catalyst (22–98°C, argon), to form bis(1-naphthylmethyl)-and tris-(1-naphthylmethyl)phosphine oxides, and also (1-naphthylmethyl)phosphonous-and bis(1-naphthylmethyl)-phosphinic acids. The yield and the ratio of the reaction products depend on reaction conditions as well as on the nature of phosphorylating agent. It is shown that the reactivity of the “activated red phosphorus” is not worse than that of the white phosphorus and significantly exceeds the reactivity of the usual technical red phosphorus.