α-Amido sulphones as useful intermediates in the preparation of C-chiral α-aminophosphonates and α-aminophosphonic acids

& alpha;-Amido sulphones have been used as useful starting materials in the preparation of C-chiral & alpha;-aminophosphonates and & alpha;-aminophosphonic acids. The developed methodology is based on a one-pot, base-catalysed in situ generation of an imine intermediate followed by addition of a phosphorus nucleophile. The presented protocol is simple and effective and can be applied to a variety of structurally diverse & alpha;-amido sulphones and phosphorus nucleophiles, leading to the desired pure products after simple crystallization in very good yields. Importantly, the use of H-phosphonate bearing a chiral auxiliary allows the reaction to be performed with high diastereoselectivity (a single diastereoisomer is generated and isolated) and the possibility of precise control of the configuration at the newly generated C-chiral centre.