Phosphonium salts are chemical compounds containing phosphonium. While inorganic phosphonium halides are sometimes used as halogenation reagents in chemical labs, the more commonly available phosphonium compounds are organic triphenylphosphonium salts such as methyltriphenylphosphonium chlorise and ethyltriphenylphosphonium chloride. These compounds are widely used in Wittig reactions used to prepare alkenes. Some phosphonium salt derivatives also possess significant antimicrobial activity, and others are toxic to a variety of plants. The synthesis or production of phosphonium salt depends on the type of salt. The procedure is generally accomplished in a chemistry lab because the raw materials required for the synthesis of these salts are not readily available.
- Diclydimethylphosphine
- Methyl chloride
- Dichloromethane
- Diethyl ether
- Cylindrical pyrex glass reaction vessel
- Centrifuge
- Glass stirrer
- Vacuum pump
- Nitrogen cylinder
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Instructions
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1
Place 1.92 grams of diclydimethylphosphine in a cylindrical Pyrex glass reaction vessel with a gas inlet, needle valve and glass stirrer under nitrogen at atmospheric pressure.
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2
Cool the vessel with dry ice and evacuate the nitrogen from the vessel with the help of a gas tube.
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3
Add 1.6 grams of methyl chloride into the vessel through the gas inlet, and heat the mixture in a water bath at 140 degrees Celsius for four hours.
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4
Remove the excess of methyl chloride from the reaction vessel and add 20 millimeters of dichloromethane into the reaction vessel.
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5
Centrifuge the contents of the vessel and wash with diethyl ether. Dry the precipitated solid under vacuum. This resulting compound is declytrimethylphosphonium chloride.
