A Knoevenagel based redox-reaction promoted by intramolecular phosphine sources is presented for the first time. The influence of different diketones, aldehydes, bases and acids was investigated. The effects of different substituents were evaluated based on their electronical influence on the diketone structure. With the obtained results a mechanism is proposed, giving information about transition states formed during the reaction, which can lead to different products. This type of an internal redox transformation with a phosphine oxide moiety remaining in the molecule after the redox reaction represents a new type of reaction.
Keywords: Knoevenagel reaction; diketones; mechanism; phosphines; redox-reaction.