Phosphine-catalyzed allylic substitution of Morita-Baylis-Hillman acetates: synthesis of N-protected beta-aminophosphonic acid esters.

A series of N-protected beta-amino phosphonic acid esters have been prepared by phosphine-catalyzed allylic substitution of 2-(diethylphosphonyl)-substituted allylic acetates employing 4,5-dichlorophthalimide as nucleophilic partner. These organocatalytic allylic substitutions exhibit exceptionally high levels of regiospecificity by virtue of a tandem S(N)2'-S(N)2' mechanism.