Synthesis of new phosphonate compounds through the reaction of trialkyl phosphite and activated acetylenes compounds in the presence of organic CH acids

In the recent years there has been increasing interest in the synthesis of organophosphorus compounds, i.e., those bearing a carbon atom bound directly to a phosphorus atom [1-3]. This interest has resulted from the recognition of the value of such compound for a variety of biological, industrial, and chemical synthetic uses. The work reported here was undertaken in order to determine the possibility of trapping the reactive 1:1 intermediate formed in the initial reaction between trimethyl phosphite and dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate by carbon acids such as dialkylmalonate derivatives (1). Thus, reaction of trimethyl phosphate and dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate in the presence of the CH-acid in dry dichloromethane leads to organophosphorus compounds (2) in high yields.