Synthesis of the novel natural product Phosphonothrixin has been accomplished in 6 steps and 24% overall yield from the commercially available Baylis-Hillman adduct derived from acetaldehyde and methyl vinyl ketone. The synthesis features use of a trisubstituted olefin as a latent a-hydroxyketone, which formally reverses the oxidation states of the hydroxyl and carbonyl functionalities. This alleviates