Stereospecific coupling of H-phosphinates and secondary phosphine oxides with amines and alcohols: a general method for the preparation of optically active organophosphorus acid derivatives.

The reaction of H-phosphinates and secondary phosphine oxides with amines and alcohols proceeds highly stereospecifically to give the corresponding coupling products with inversion of configuration at the phosphorus center under the Atherton-Todd reaction conditions. This finding leads to the establishment of a general and efficient method for the synthesis of a variety of optically active organophosphorus acid derivatives from the easily available chiral H-phosphinates and secondary phosphine oxides.