Highly efficient metal-free one-pot synthesis of α-aminophosphonates through reduction followed by Kabachnik–fields reaction using three-component system

One-pot synthesis of α-aminophosphonates directly from aryl nitro compounds, aldehydes/ketones, and diethyl phosphite using sodium dithionite through reduction and followed by Kabachnik–Fields reaction under metal-free conditions is reported. The major advantages are excellent yield, high chemoselectivity, neutral reaction medium, and simple experimental procedure. This methodology consists of the following steps: 1) amine formation from nitro compound, 2) imine formation from amine and aldehyde/ketone, 3) phosphate addition to imine.