The reaction of d-nitrostyrene (1) with triethyl phosphite in DME gave diethyl a- styrylphosphonate (2b) in 85% yield. In DME/lO% HZ0 it gave a 5050 mixture of 2b and 1- diethoxyphosphinyl-1-phenyl-2-nitroethane(5b). In DME/lO% D20 with trimethyl phosphite it gave products with deuterium incorporated in the position 6 to the phenyl group in both 2a and 5a. Mechanistic implications are discussed.
