Copper complexes of phosphorus dendrimers and their properties.

[Display omitted] • Phosphorus dendrimers have been functionalized by a large variety of ligands suitable for the complexation of copper. • Copper complexes of phosphorus dendrimers are efficient catalysts in a range of reactions. • Copper complexes of phosphorus dendrimers can be efficiently recovered and reused. Phosphorus dendrimers are highly branched macromolecules, built with one phosphorus atom at each branching point. These dendrimers can be functionalized at will on the terminal functions. Grafting as terminal functions ligands suitable for the complexation of copper has been carried out several times, in particular with the aim of using the corresponding complexes as catalysts in a range of reactions, from O- and N -arylations and -vinylations, to the asymmetric benzoylation of linear or cyclic diols. A sequel of this work concerns the study of anticancer activity of analogous dendritic copper complexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]