A versatile and efficient ligand for copper-catalyzed formation of C-N, C-O, and P-C bonds: pyrrolidine-2-phosphonic acid phenyl monoester.

A new and readily available bidentate ligand, namely, pyrrolidine-2-phosphonic acid phenyl monoester (PPAPM), has been developed for the copper-catalyzed formation of C-N, C-O, and P-C bonds, and various N-, O-, and P-arylation products were synthesized in good to excellent yields by using the CuI/PPAPM catalyst system. Addition of the PPAPM ligand greatly increases the reactivity of the copper catalyst, and the resulting versatile and efficient catalyst system is of widespread and practical application in cross-coupling reactions.