Stereochemistry of a Michaelis–Arbusov reaction: alkylation of optically active ethyl trimethylsilyl phenylphosphonite with retention of configuration

Ethylation of ethyl phenylphosphinate (I)via ethyl trimethylsilyl phenylphosphonite or via the corresponding trimethylstannyl ester, and free-radical addition of (I) to ethylene proceed with complete, or almost complete, retention of configuration.