Synthesis and properties of phosphetanes

A number of synthetic routes to both simple and optically active phosphetanes are now sufficiently developed to allow phosphetanes to be considered as basic "building blocks" for further chemistry. At present, the most interesting characteristics of these rings appear to be their moderate strain and conformational rigidity. Neither of these properties has been fully exploited to date. Developments in calculational chemistry should allow an expansion in the theoretical understanding of phosphetanes and aid in their exploitation.