Asymmetric Cyanation of α-Ketiminophosphonates Catalyzed by Cinchona Alkaloids: Enantioselective Synthesis of Tetrasubstituted α-Aminophosphonic Acid Derivatives from Trisubstituted α-Aminophosphonates

An enantioselective synthesis of tetrasubstituted a-phosphono-a-amino nitriles through asymmetric cyanation of a-ketiminophosphonates catalyzed by Cinchona alkaloids is reported. a-Ketiminophosphonates are generated, in a very efficient synthetic protocol, by oxidation of trisubstituted a-aminophosphonates.