A 1:1 reaction of [HO(CH 2 ) 3 ] 3 P with 4-hydroxy-3-methoxy-cinnamaldehyde (coniferaldehyde) or 3,5-dimethoxy-4-hydroxycinnamaldehyde (sinapaldehyde) in acetone at room temperature affords phosphonium zwitterions of the type R 3 P + CH(4-O --Ar)CH 2 CHO; other phosphines [R = Et, n-Bu, (CH 2 ) 2 CN, and p-Tol] do not react under the same conditions. In alcohols R'OH(D) [R' = CD 3 , Et, (CD 3 ) 2 CD, s-Bu, HOCH 2 CH 2 ], the above phosphines (except the cyano-derivative) and those where R = i-Pr, Cy, Me 2 Ph, MePh 2 do react within an equilibrium established between the reactants and the zwitterion-hemiacetal products R 3 P + CH(4-O --Ar)CH 2 CH(OH)(OR') that are formed as a mixture of two diastereomers. The nature of the phosphine and the alcohol affects the equilibrium and the diastereomeric ratio.Our group has been involved in investigating interactions of phosphines with unsaturated compounds in aqueous media, the interest evolving from discovery of the use of the water-soluble phosphine (HOCH 2 ) 3 P for the bleaching of pulps [1][2][3][4]. The topic is also of interest within homogeneous catalysis in aqueous media involving unsaturated organic substrates using transition metal-phosphine systems [5,6]. A review covering both these aspects of the chemistry of this specific phosphine has appeared recently [7]. We have reported previously studies on the reactions of tertiary phosphines with substituted benzaldehydes [8], benzyl and cinnamyl alcohols [9], and quinones [10].Prior to our detailed studies on the interaction of α,β-unsaturated aldehydes with tertiary phosphines in aqueous media [11,12], these systems were not well understood, the relevant literature being summarized in our reports. The studies revealed that the reactions with aromatic α,β-unsaturated aldehydes depend on substituents present in the aromatic ring. Thus, cinnamaldehyde, in the presence of tris(hydroxypropyl)phosphine, [HO(CH 2 ) 3 ] 3 P (THPP), undergoes self-condensation into the two isomeric products shown in Scheme 1, the reaction being initiated by nucleophilic attack of the phosphine at the C-atom adjacent to the Ph group [11]; however, lignin-type aldehydes, which contain a p-OH-group, react with tertiary phosphines to afford bisphosphonium zwitterion products via the same nucleophilic phosphine attack (Scheme 2) [12].Reactions of α,β-unsaturated aldehydes such as ArCH=CHCHO (Ar = aryl) with tertiary phosphines in organic media have been investigated recently, but only with (α-hydroxy)phosphines [e.g. Ph 2 PCH(OH)R, where R = H, alkyl or aryl], which readily decompose reversibly to RCHO and Ph 2 PH. The secondary phos-