McCormack reaction

{{Short description|Chemical reaction}}

The McCormack reaction is a method for the synthesis of organophosphorus compounds. In this reaction, a 1,3-diene and a source of R₂P⁺ are combined to give phospholenium cation. The reaction is named after W. B. McCormack, a research chemist at duPont.

An illustrative reaction involves phenyldichlorophosphine and isoprene:{{OrgSynth | author = W. B. McCormack | title = 3-Methyl-1-Phenylphospholene oxide| collvol = 5 | collvolpages = 787| year = 1973 | prep = CV5P0787}}

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The reaction proceeds via a pericyclic [2+4]-process. The resulting derivatives can be hydrolyzed to give the phosphine oxide. Dehydrohalogenation gives the phosphole.Handbook of organophosphorus chemistry by Robert Engel, CRC Press, 1992. {{ISBN|0-8247-8733-1}}.