“…The present revival of interest in phosphorus stereochemistry perhaps began with the resolution of phosphonium salts I and II (3, 4)-A number of earlier workers had attempted the resolution of phosphonium salts but all met with failure (5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13), apparently as a result of the inherent difficulties in crystallizing these compounds (4). The first optically active quaternary phosphorus compound obtained, in which the phosphorus atom was not incorporated in a heterocyclic ring, was resolved via its dibenzoylhydrogen-tartarate salt (14)-A number of phosphonium salts have been resolved since then by the same method (15)(16)(17). The absolute configuration of one of these salts, {+)-benzyImethylphenyl-n-propylphosphonium bromide, III, has recently been determined (18).…”