Abstract
Reduction of chloromethylphosphonates with lithium aluminium hydride gave a mixture of chloro. methylphosphine and methylphosphine, characterized by NMR, IR and mass spectra. Reduction of the same compounds by AIH, gave chloromethylphosphine as nearly the only product. Extension of this reaction to the C-substituted derivatives gave the corresponding α-chlorophosphines with good chemoselectivity.