An efficient route to chiral alpha- and beta-hydroxyalkanephosphonates.

Enzymatic kinetic resolution of alpha- and beta-hydroxyphosphonates in combination with ruthenium-catalyzed alcohol isomerization led to a successful dynamic kinetic resolution. A variety of racemic hydroxyphosphonates were efficiently transformed to the corresponding enantiomerically pure acetates (ee up to 99% and yield up to 87%).