Electrochemistry of organophosphorus compounds. II. Electroreduction of triphenylphosphine and triphenylphosphine oxide

been investigated using polarography, cyclic voltammetry, coulometry, a n d product analysis. TPP proceeds by a one-electron transfer to form the anion radical which undergoes cleavage of a phenyl group. The electrochemical reduction of triphenylphosphine (TPP) and triphenylphosphine oxide (TPPO) has The reduction of everal recent papers have been concerned with the S polarography of triphenylphosphine (TPP) and triphenylphosphine oxide (TPP0)2,3 and the electron spin resonance (esr) spectroscopic investigation o f radicals derived from alkali metal reduction of these. Hanna4 claimed, partly on the basis of polarographic evidence of a one-electron reversible reduction,* that he (1) To whom correspondence and request for reprints should be (2) S. Wawzonek and J. H. Wagenknecht, "Polarography-1964,'' 467 (1966). directed. Macmillan and Co., Ltd., London, 1966, p 1035. (3) R. E. Dessy, T. Chivers, and W. I<itching, J . A m . Chem. Soc., 88, (4) M. W. Hanna, J . Chent. Phj,s., 37, 685 (1962). Journal of' the American Chemical Society J 90.5 1 February 28, 1968