TRANSESTERIFICATION OF TRIS(p-NITROPHENYL) PHOSPHATE WITH SODIUM ALKOXIDES: BIS(p-NITROPHENYL) METHYL PHOSPHATE, BIS(p-NITROPHENYL) BENZYL PHOSPHATE, BIS(p-NITROPHENYL) n-BUTYL PHOSPHATE

Transesterification of tris(p-nitrophenyl) phosphate by sodium alkoxides, in dichloromethane at 0°, provides a convenient synthetic route to diaryl alkyl phosphates which are produced in a high state of purity and in moderate to high yields. The procedure is used to prepare bis(p-nitrophenyl) methyl phosphate, bis(p-nitrophenyl) benzyl phosphate and bis(p-nitrophenyl) n-butyl phosphate.