Aromatic methyl ketones and cyclic asymmetric ketones underwent hydrophosphorylation with P-stereogenic H–P species in the presence of potassium carbonate to produce P,C-stereogenic tertiary α-hydroxyl phosphinates in excellent yields with up to 99 : 1 dr. The diastereoselectivity was induced by a reversible conversion of less stable stereomer of product to that of a more stable one via an equilibrium, which was confirmed by aldehyde/ketone exchanging reaction. Toward the exchange, aliphatic or aldehyde carbonyl were more active than aromatic or ketone carbonyls, respectively. The stability difference between the two diastereomers was controlled by the sizes of substituents linking to phosphorus or α-carbon.

An addition of H-phosphonates to aryl alkynes was realized under solvent- and metal-free conditions, affording Markovnikov-selective α-vinylphosphonates in moderate to good yields. A wide range of aryl alkynes could be applied for the reaction. A tentative mechanism of addition–substitution was proposed based on in situ ³¹P {¹H} NMR studies.