1, 6-Dihydrophosphorin 1-oxides were synthesized by dehydration of 3-hydroxy-l, 2, 3, 6- tetrahydrophosphorin 1-oxides; Diels-Alder reactions with maleic acid derivatives gave the 2- phosphabicyclo [2.2. 2] oct-5-ene ring system, while reaction with dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate gave the corresponding octa-5, 7-diene system. The latter system was also approached by lead tetraacetate oxidation of a dicarboxylic acid in the oct-5-ene ...