First asymmetric Abramov-type phosphonylation of aldehydes with trialkyl phosphites catalyzed by chiral Lewis bases

Chiral phosphine oxides (Lewis bases) catalyze silicon tetrachloride-mediated, enantioselective phosphonylation of aldehydes with trialkyl phosphites (Abramov-type reaction), which leads to optically active α-hydroxyphosphonates with moderate enantioselectivities. 31P NMR analysis of the phosphonylation of benzaldehyde with triethyl phosphite supports the assumed reaction mechanism.