Recent Breakthroughs in P 4 Chemistry: Towards Practical, Direct Transformations into P 1 Compounds.

For several decades, academic researchers have been intensively studying the chemistry of white phosphorus (P 4 ) in the hope of developing direct methods for its transformation into useful P-containing products. This would bypass the hazardous, multistep procedures currently relied on by industry. However, while academically interesting P 4 activation reactions have become well established, their elaboration into useful, general synthetic procedures has remained out of reach. Very recently, however, a series of independent reports has begun to change this state of affairs. Each shows how relatively simple and practical synthetic methods can be used to access academically or industrially relevant P 1 compounds from P 4 directly, in "one pot" or even in a catalytic fashion. These reports mark a step change in the field of P 4 chemistry, and suggest its possible transition from an area of largely academic interest to one with the promise of true synthetic relevance.