The two-step acidic hydrolysis of α-hydroxybenzylphosphonates and a few related derivatives was monitored in order to determine the kinetics and to map the reactivity of the differently substituted phosphonates in hydrolysis. Electron-withdrawing substituents increased the rate, while electron-releasing ones slowed down the reaction. Both hydrolysis steps were characterized by pseudo-first-order rate constants. The fission of the second P-O-C bond was found to be the rate-determining step.
Keywords: dialkyl α-hydroxyphosphonates; hydrolysis; mechanism; phosphonic acid; phosphonic ester–acid intermediate; rate constants.