Diastereoselective synthesis of bulky, strongly nucleophilic, and configurationally stable P-stereogenic tricyclic phosphines

A simple and one-step highly diastereoselective synthesis method was developed to obtain bulky, configurational and air-stable P-chiral tricyclic phosphines 3 exhibiting an exceptionally strong nucleophilic character. The key steps in the method involve the reaction of the stable phosphonium sila-ylide with aryl- and alkyl-substituted acetylene derivatives to obtain enantiomerically pure phosphines.