A novel route to C-unsubstituted 1,2-oxaphosphetane and 1,2-oxaphospholane complexes.

The synthesis of 1,2-oxaphosphetane complexes and 1,2-oxaphospholane complex bearing only substituents at phosphorus is reported using the reaction of Li/Cl phosphinidenoid complex with 2-iodoethanol or 3-bromo-propane-1-ol and the subsequent dehydrohalogenation using KHMDS. In contrast, the reaction of complex with (t)BuLi leads selectively to the formation of phosphinito complex .