α-Keto phosphonoacetates
Abstract
Oxophosphonoacetate (1), a novel biophosphate analogue containing a highly reactve α-ketone function at pH <7, proved inaccessible by direct hydrolysis of its previously unsynthesised triethyl ester (2), but can be made by oxygen transfer to the α-carbene of ethyl P,P-bis(trimethylsilyl) phosphonoacetate followed by heating in H2O.