Abstract: | In an attempt to find novel plant growth regulators, a series of unsaturated cyclic α‐hydroxyphosphonates were synthesized by the addition reactions of 4‐aryl‐5,5‐dimethyl‐1,3,2‐dioxaphosphinane 2‐oxides with 5‐aryl‐2E,4E‐pentadienaldehydes. The cis and trans isomers of the products were isolated. The structures of all products were confirmed by elemental analyses and by NMR and IR spectroscopy or MS. The results of preliminary bioassay indicate that the title compounds possess potential inhibitory activity on the elongation of wheat coleoptile. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 14:266–268, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/hc.10039 |