Numerous alpha-acyloxyacrylates have been prepared by Wittig-Horner re
action of aldehydes and ethyl 2-acyloxy-2-(diethoxyphosphoryl)acetates
which were easily obtained from glyoxylic acid hydrate. The formed al
pha-acyloxyacrylates were subsequently hydrogenated enantioselectively
using Rh-DIPAMP and Ru-BINAP (ee = 82-98%) to furnish the correspondi
ng alpha-acyloxycarboxylates.