Tetraalkyl Hydroxymethylene-bisphosphonate and Dialkyl 1-Diphenylphosphinoyl-1-hydroxy-ethylphosphonate Derivatives by the Pudovik Reaction and Their Rearranged Products

The reaction of diethyl α-oxoethylphosphonate and diethyl oxobenzylphosphonate with diethyl phosphite, dimethyl phosphite, and diphenylphosphine oxide affords, depending on the substrates and conditions (nature and quantity of the amine catalyst, temperature, and solvent), the Pudovik adduct and/or the corresponding >P(O)–CH–O–P(O)< product formed by rearrangement. The nature of the substituent on the central carbon atom (a methyl or phenyl group) influences the inclination for the rearrangement. The asymmetric products (either adducts or rearranged species) with different P(O)Y functions (Y = RO or Ph) exhibit interesting NMR features.