LAUSR

1-Phenylphosphol-2-ene 1-oxide is effectively resolved by L-menthyl bromoacetate to afford both SP and RP enantiomers of 1-phenylphosphol-2-ene 1-oxide on a multigram scale. The resolved 1-phenylphosphol-2-ene oxide has been found to undergo face-selective and endo-selective cycloadditions with a series of acyclic and cyclic dienes to produce enantiopure P-stereogenic C-P heterocycles of hexahydrophosphindole and hexahydrobenzophosphindole as well as phospha[5.2.1.02,6]decene and phospha[5.2.2.02,6]undecene structures. Conversions of these cycloadducts to the fully saturated heterocyclic systems as well as to their P (III), P = S, P = Se and P-BH3 derivatives have been demonstrated to occur with retention of configuration and preservation of configurational homogeneity at P. A perplexing case of stereomutation at P during reduction of a tricyclic β-hydroxy phosphine oxide by PhSiH3 at 80 °C has been recorded.