Hydrolysis and alcoholysis of phosphinates and phosphonates

Phosphinic and phosphonic acids useful intermediates and biologically active compounds may be prepared from their esters: phosphinates and phosphonates, respectively, by acid-catalyzed hydrolysis either on conventional heating or on MW irradiation. The transesterification of alkyl phosphinates took place only in the presence of suitable ionic liquids as the catalysts. In the cases of phenylphosphonates, depending on the nature of the ionic liquid, the formation of the ester was accompanied by the fission of the C–O bond.