Upon treatment with base, the diethyl vinyl phosphate derivatives of five-, six-, and seven- membered-ring lactones undergo rearrangement to a-phosphono lactones in very good yields. Because the vinyl phosphates can be prepared in situ, these a-phosphono lactones can be obtained from the parent lactones in a one-flask protocol, making this methodology a convenient alternative to the traditional Arbuzov synthesis. An analogous reaction ...
