N-Benzyldiphenylphosphinamides are deprotonated at the NC
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position diastereospecifically upon treatment with
t-BuLi in diethyl ether at lowtemperature. The reaction of the anions with alkyl, acyl, and tin halides, aliphatic and aromatic aldehydes, and Michael acceptors allowedinstallation of a variety of functional groups into the benzylic arm in excellent yields. Cleavage of the P-N linkage affords 1,2-amino alcoholsand
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-,
![](/images/gifchars/beta2.gif)
-, and
![](/images/gifchars/gamma.gif)
-amino acids.