Recent Developments in the [1,2]-Phospha-Brook Rearrangement Reaction

The [1,2]-phospha-Brook rearrangement serves as a powerful synthetic strategy that enables efficient carbonyl umpolung through phosphoryl group migration, providing direct access to α-hydroxyphosphoryl compounds—a privileged class of synthons with broad applications in organophosphorus chemistry, medicinal chemistry, and materials science. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent progress in synthetic methodologies, possible mechanisms, and asymmetric transformations, highlighting key breakthroughs and future directions in this rapidly evolving field.