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Dehydrocoupling is a unique reaction to p-block elements that allows for the formation of bonds between these main group elements with loss of hydrogen. The transformation is highly atom economical, and hydrogen is a relatively benign byproduct that also provides the thermodynamic driving force for the reaction. For these reactions, couplings between most of the p-block elements are known. In the instance when bonds between the same elements are formed, then this reaction primarily applies to elements in the third period (3p) and heavier. For reactions between different elements, most any combination of p-block elements is possible. These reactions are known to make small molecules and polymers. Catalysts for this reaction include metal compounds (i.e., organometallic catalysts), Lewis acids, and frustrated Lewis pairs, and the mechanisms of dehydrocoupling are highly varied, representing much of the spectrum of catalysis. 

An analysis of CHEM21 solvent categories reveals that green solvents are viable and often superior to oft-used toxic and hazardous solvents for catalytic hydrophosphination regardless of mechanism, substrate, or catalyst. 

Grignard reagents are simple, accessible catalysts for the dehydrocoupling of amines and silanes that increases selectivity of these reactions over other commercially available catalysts for Si–N bond formation.