Cover Picture: Photolytic Reductive Elimination of White Phosphorus from a Mononuclear cyclo‐P4 Transition Metal Complex (Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 6/2019). Issue 6 (14th January 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mandla, Kyle A.; Moore, Curtis E.; Rheingold, Arnold L.; Figueroa, Joshua S.
• Is Part Of: Angewandte Chemie international edition. Volume 58:Issue 6(2019)
• Page Start: 1521
• Page End: 1521
• Publication Date: 2019-01-14
• Subjects: main-group chemistry -- molybdenum -- photochemistry -- photoelimination -- white phosphorus; Chemistry -- Periodicals; 540
• DOI: 10.1002/anie.201900201
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1433-7851

Abstract

Abstract : White phosphorus (P4 ) is both highly toxic and pyrophoric but its synthetic utility is well appreciated. In their Communication on page 1779 ff., J. S. Figueroa et al. deactivate P4 by coordination to a molecular molybdenum complex that is safe to handle and air stable. Yet, when this complex is irradiated, intact P4 tetrahedra are eliminated in a controlled manner. Thus, like fireflies trapped in a jar, phosphorus is held in an inert state by coordination to molybdenum until violet light is used to release white phosphorus, which, like fireflies, can glow in the dark.