The synthesis of optically active P-heterocycles

Optically active 1‐alkoxy‐ and 1‐amino‐3‐phospholene oxides were synthesized by the reaction of the corresponding 1‐chloro‐3‐phospholene oxides with (1R,2S,5R)‐(–)menthol and (S)‐(–)‐α‐phenylethylamine. The 3‐methyl‐3‐phospholene oxides were subjected to dichlorocyclopropanation under liquid–liquid phase transfer catalytic conditions to afford the 3‐phosphabicyclo[3.1.0]hexane 3‐oxides as a mixture of four diastereomers. Thermolysis of the menthyl‐phosphabicyclohexane oxides led to the corresponding 1,2‐dihydrophosphinine oxide as a diastereomeric mixture of two double‐bond isomers. As a result of additional steps, the dichlorocarbene addition reaction of the 1‐menthyl‐3,4‐dimethyl‐3‐phospholene oxide resulted in eventually, the formation of a 4‐dichloromethylene‐1,4‐dihydrophosphinine oxide. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 21:271–277, 2010; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/hc.20599