ABSTRACT
A simple and facile copper-catalyzed synthesis of β-ketophosphine oxides via direct oxyphosphorylation of alkynes with H-phosphine oxides and dioxygen has been developed under mild conditions without any base or cocatalyst. A radical reaction pathway for the formation of β-ketophosphine oxides is proposed. An 18O labeling experiment suggested that the carbonyl oxygen atom of β-ketophosphine oxides originated from dioxygen.