Abstract: | Addition of dialkyl phosphites to the nitrone 6 , formed in situ from the oxime 5 and formaldehyde gave the hydroxylamines 7 (86%) and 8 (88%), which reacted with p-benzoquinone in the presence of ethylene via the C-dialkoxyphosphonoylnitrones 9 and 10 to yield the cycloaddition products 11 – 14 (80–85%) with a diastereoselectivity of about 50%. The cycloaddition products were transformed into the monoisopropylidene derivatives 15 – 18 and the diacetates 19 – 22 . Comparison of the NMR spectra and the specific rotations of the compounds 19 – 22 with those of the corresponding α-ammo-acid derivatives 23 – 26 of known configuration indicated preferential formation of the L -isomers. The cycloaddition products were transformed in good yield into the L -α-aminophosphonic acids 29 , 30 , 36 , and 39 . |