Recent applications of phosphorus reagents: from organic synthesis to stereoselective catalysis

This chapter will focus on the use of phosphorus (III) compounds in organic synthesis, as reagents, organic catalysts, as well as ligands for transition metal catalysis. The versatility of these compounds stems from the great variety of their steric and electronic properties, which can be conveniently tuned for different applications. For this reason, after a brief presentation of the nomenclature of organic phosphorus compounds, we will discuss the methods for the determination of the steric and electronic paramenters of mainly phosphorus(III) compounds as a means to interpret their reactivity. The reactivity of PIII derivatives will be presented, focussing on a selection of the most recent achievements in the area of organic synthesis and stereoselective organic and transition metal catalysis.