Research Progress of alpha-Diazophosphonates

Diazo compounds are the most commonly used carbene precursors. They can be dediazonized to obtain highly reactive free carbene intermediates or metal cabenoid under transition metal catalysts. Then varieties of chemical transformations can be proceeded, such as X-H (X=C, N, O, S, Si, etc.) insertions, 1,2-hydrogen migration reactions and cyclopropanations. Varieties of pharmaceuticals, natural products and other bioactive moleculars could be synthesized through these methods. As one of the most important diazo compounds alpha-diazophosphonates could also proceed various chemical transformations and be used to synthesize varieties of organic functional phosphorous compounds. Because organic phosphorous compounds exhibit extensive bioactivities and pharmaceutic activities, the research of alpha-diazophosphonates has attracted lots of attentions of scientists. The recent development of the reactions of alpha-diazophosphonates catalyzed by various kinds of catalysts is summarized.