Palladium-catalyzed 1,4-hydrophosphorylation of 1,3-dienes efficiently take
s place with 4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1,3,2-dioxaphospholane 2-oxide HP(O)(OCMe2
CMe2O) to afford the corresponding allylphosphonates selectively in high yi
elds. Mechanistic studies have revealed that the reaction proceeds through
addition of intermediate H-Pd species to 1,3-diene generating a pi -allylpa
lladium complex, which affords the adduct via subsequent reductive eliminat
ion. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.