1 Division of Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637371, Singapore. shunsuke@ntu.edu.sg.
A new protocol for the dearylation of arylphosphine oxides was developed using sodium hydride (NaH) in the presence of lithium iodide (LiI). The transient sodium phosphinite could be functionalized with a range of electrophiles in a one-pot fashion.