Facile Synthesis of the Dicyanophosphide Anion via Electrochemical Activation of White Phosphorus: An Avenue to Organophosphorus Compounds

Organophosphorus compounds (OPCs) have gained tremendous interest in the past decades due to their wide applications ranging from synthetic chemistry to materials and biological sciences. We describe herein a practical and versatile approach for the transformation of white phosphorus (P4) into useful OPCs with high P atom economy via a key bridging anion [P(CN)2]–. This anion can be prepared on a gram scale directly from P4 through an unprecedented electrochemical process. A variety of OPCs involving phosphinidenes, cyclophosphanes and phospholides have been made readily accessible from P4 in a two-step manner. Our approach has a significant impact on the future preparation of OPCs in laboratory and industrial settings.