Unexpected C–O Bond Cleavage by a Copper–Phosphido Compound

Abstract

Copper methoxide compound IPrCuOMe was unexpectedly formed in a reaction of IPrCuPPh2 with methyl acrylate. The alkoxide product was identified from the reaction mixture spectroscopically and structurally characterized. This C–O bond cleavage reaction likely depends on nucleophilicity of the Cu–P bond of IPrCuPPh2.