Azaphosphatrane Cations: Weak Acids, Robust Phase-transfer Catalysts

The use of azaphosphatrane derivatives, which are the acidic counterparts of the well-known proazaphosphatrane superbases (also named Verkades superbases), are found to function as phase-transfer catalysts. In four representative protocols of phase-transfer catalytic reactionstwo alkylations of enolates, one generation of carbene, and one oxidation of an electrophilic alkeneazaphosphatranes act as catalysts in biphasic heterogeneous media.