The chemistry of phosphites, phosphonates and spiroxyphosphoranes: Novel applications to asymmetric synthesis

The work detailed within this dissertation is aimed at the development of new methodologies for the asymmetric syntheses of ;Chapter I describes the results obtained in the study of the oxidation of ;Chapter II discusses original synthetic methods that were developed to effect the asymmetric synthesis of ;Chapter III summarizes the new advances made in the chemistry of spiroxyphosphoranes and the utility of their conjugate bases in olefination reactions. Low reactivity of the spiroxyphosphorane anions towards ketones was demonstrated. The structure of the carbon-lithium and carbon-silicon bonds in some spiroxyphosphorane derivatives was elucidated on the basis of low temperature NMR studies.