Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 17, 2026

CPhos

CPhos is a phosphine ligand derived from biphenyl. It is a white solid that is soluble in organic solvents.

Last revised
Jul 17, 2026
Read time
≈ 2 min
Length
352 w
Citations
3
Source
CPhos
source ↗
Names
Preferred IUPAC name
2′-(Dicyclohexylphosphanyl)-N2,N2,N6,N6-tetramethyl[1,1′-biphenyl]-2,6-diamine
Other names
CPhos
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)
ChemSpider
UNII
  • InChI=1S/C28H41N2P/c1-29(2)25-19-13-20-26(30(3)4)28(25)24-18-11-12-21-27(24)31(22-14-7-5-8-15-22)23-16-9-6-10-17-23/h11-13,18-23H,5-10,14-17H2,1-4H3
    Key: DRNAQRXLOSUHBQ-UHFFFAOYSA-N
  • InChI=1/C28H41N2P/c1-29(2)25-19-13-20-26(30(3)4)28(25)24-18-11-12-21-27(24)31(22-14-7-5-8-15-22)23-16-9-6-10-17-23/h11-13,18-23H,5-10,14-17H2,1-4H3
    Key: DRNAQRXLOSUHBQ-UHFFFAOYAL
  • CN(C)C1=C(C(=CC=C1)N(C)C)C2=CC=CC=C2P(C3CCCCC3)C4CCCCC4
Properties
C28H41N2P
Molar mass 436.61
Appearance white solid1
Melting point 111 to 113 °C (232 to 235 °F; 384 to 386 K)1
organic solvents
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).

CPhos is a phosphine ligand derived from biphenyl. It is a white solid that is soluble in organic solvents.

Its palladium complexes exhibit high activity for Negishi coupling reactions involving aryl bromides, chlorides and triflates. CPhos mediated reactions performed with secondary (sp3) alkylzinc halides often give excellent yields, with low conversion to the frequently encountered primary substituted by-products.1

Utility in Negishi Coupling

A simplified scheme showing the reaction course of isopropylzinc bromide with an aryl halide is shown below. Processes leading to byproduct formation are highlighted in red.

Oxidative addition (1) of the aryl halide to the palladium-ligand complex followed by transmetalation (2) gives intermediate B which can undergo reductive elimination (3) to afford the desired isopropyl arene C. However, intermediate B can also undergo β-hydride elimination (4) to afford D, which can either reductively eliminate (3’) to afford de-halogenated product G, or undergo insertion (5) leading to the formation of E. Once formed, E may also undergo reductive elimination (3’’) to afford the n-propyl by-product F.

CPhos minimises the conversion to undesired products F & G by increasing the rate of the reductive elimination of B, relative to the rate of β-hydride elimination.

The mechanism of the Negishi coupling
The mechanism of the Negishi coupling source ↗
See also

See also

References

References

External links