An efficient and green method to prepare bis-α-hydroxy phosphonates using triethylamine as catalyst

Abstract

An efficient, convenient and environmentally friendly method for the synthesis of bis-α-hydroxy phosphonates via a perfectly atom economical Pudovik reaction is described. Using 5 mol% of triethylamine as a catalyst, a series of aromatic/heteroaromatic dialdehydes reacts with dialkyl phosphites to afford the corresponding bis-α-hydroxy phosphonates, particularly the bio-mass based ones, under solvent-free conditions or in a minimum amount of tetrahydrofuran at room temperature with moderate to excellent yields (52–95%).