and dimethyl 2-benzoyloxy-benzoylphosphonate undergo cyclisation and deoxygenation in the presence of excess trimethyl phosphite to give dimethyl (3-methyl-1-benzofuran-2-yl)phosphonate and dimethyl (3-phenyl-1-benzofuran-2-yl)phosphonate, respectively. The reaction pathway has been shown to involve phosphite attack on initially formed tricyclic dioxaphospholane intermediates with the subsequent loss