Stereospecific Coupling of <i>H</i>-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.