The reduction of gamma-N-benzylamino-beta-ketophosphonates 6 and 10, readily available from L-proline and L-serine, respectively, can be carried out in high diastereoselectivity with catecholborane (CB) in THF at -78 degrees C to produce the syn-gamma-N-benzylamino-beta-hydroxyphosphonates 11 and 13 as a single detectable diastereoisomer, under non-chelation or Felkin-Anh model control.