A silver-initiated free-radical intermolecular hydrophosphinylation of unactivated alkenes

A scalable, operationally easy intermolecular hydrophosphinylation of various unactivated alkenes with H-P(O) compounds via an Ag(I)-initiated free radical process was developed. Mechanistic studies including electron-spin-resonance (ESR) and radical clock experiments suggest that atom transfer processes were involved in this system.