Dimethyl (2-acetoxyethyl)phosphonate → Dimethyl (2-hydroxyethyl)phosphonate

Participants

Reaction Steps

600 g of 2-acetoxyethane-phosphonic acid dimethyl ester are heated for 5 hours to 65°-75°C in 600 ml of methanol to which 3 g of sodium had been added. A mixture of methyl acetate/methanol is removed continuously by distillation. The reaction being terminated, the residue is submitted to distillation under reduced pressure, 369 g of 2-hydroxyethane-phosphonic acid dimethyl ester (boiling point: 122°C/0.2 torr) are obtained, corresponding to a yield of 84% in the theoretical.

Provenance & Evidence