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Ahighly efficient strategy for the kinetic resolu-tion of Michael adductswas realized using achiral N-het-erocyclic carbene catalyst.The kinetic resolution providesanew convenientroute to single diastereomers of cyclo-hexenes and Michael adducts in good yields with highenantiomeric excesses (up to 99 % ee with aselectivityfactor of up to 458). This “two flies with one swat” con-cept allows the synthesis of these two synthetically valua-ble compound classes at the same time by asingle trans-formation. peerReviewed

Four-membered rings with a P2BCh core (Ch = S, Se) have been synthesized via reaction of phosphinidene chalcogenide (Ar*P=Ch) and phosphaborene (Mes*P=BNR2). The mechanistic pathways towards these rings are explained by detailed computational work that confirmed the preference for the formation of P–P, not P–B, bonded systems, which seems counterintuitive given that both phosphorus atoms contain bulky ligands. The reactivity of the newly synthesized heterocycles, as well as that of the known (RPCh)n rings (n = 2, 3), was probed by the addition of Nheterocyclic carbenes, which revealed that all investigated compounds can act as sources of low-coordinate phosphorus species. peerReviewed