Phosphonite

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title: "Phosphonite" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["functional-groups", "phosphonites"] description: "Organic compounds with the formula P(OR)2R" topic_path: "general/functional-groups" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phosphonite" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Organic compounds with the formula P(OR)2R ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/33/Phosphonite.svg" caption="General ester of phosphonous acid"] ::

::callout[type=note] Not to be confused with phosphinite (formula P(OR)R2). ::

In organic chemistry, phosphonites are organophosphorus compounds with the formula P(OR)2R. They are found in some pesticides and are used as ligands.

Preparation

Although they are derivatives of phosphonous acid (RP(OH)2), they are not prepared from such precursors. Phosphonites are prepared by alcoholysis of organophosphinous chlorides. For example, treatment of dichlorophenylphosphine with methanol and base gives dimethyl phenylphosphonite: :Cl2PPh + 2 CH3OH → (CH3O)2PPh + 2 HCl

Reactions

Oxidation of phosphonites gives phosphonates: :2 P(OR)2R + O2 → 2 OP(OR)2R

Phosphonites can function as ligands in homogeneous catalysis.

References

References

1. D. E. C. Corbridge "Phosphorus: An Outline of its Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Technology" 5th Edition Elsevier: Amsterdam 1995. {{ISBN. 0-444-89307-5.
2. "phosphonous acids".
3. T. V. (Babu) Rajanbabu “Phosphinite and Phosphonite Ligands” in Phosphorus(III) Ligands in Homogeneous Catalysis: Design and Synthesis Paul C. J. Kamer and Piet W. N. M. van Leeuwen, Eds., John Wiley & Sons 2012. {{doi. 10.1002/9781118299715.ch5

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::