Abstract
Published data on the synthesis, absolute configurations and biological properties of chiral hydroxy phosphonates are generalised and described systematically. Examples of asymmetric synthesis of hydroxy phosphonates by the phospho-aldol reaction, reduction of keto phosphonates, chemo-enzymatic approach, and so on are discussed. Methods for determination of the optical purity and absolute configuration of hydroxy phosphonates using modification by chiral reagents, NMR, circular dichroism, GLC and HPLC on columns with chiral sorbents are considered. The significance of hydroxy phosphonates as promising compounds for the development of new drugs and bioregulators is demonstrated.