The cis-and trans-2-methyl-2-oxo-2-trityl-1,3,2-dioxaphosphorinanes were obtained in the Arbuzov reaction of 2-methoxy-4-methyl-1,3,2-dioxaphosphorinane with trityl chloride. The NMR spectra ( 1 H, 13 C and 31 P) in solution indicated that trans isomer exists in the form of two noncongruent molecules and it adopts two different conformations: a halfchair and a sofa, while the cis isomer exists as the mixed half/chair-sofa conformer. The compounds crystallise as a pure chiral forms and as a racemates. The solid state structural studies show that NMR data are consistent with the single crystal X-ray analysis, but the conformation existing in the crystal structure is more complex than it can be supposed on sole NMR determination. Crystal data: cis-isomer chiral form: space group P3 2 , a = 8.