The dealkylation of alkyl esters of phosphorous acid by hydrogen halides has been studied extensively in the past by Gerrard and co-workers. 2 The rates of this reaction for a given phosphite ester with respect to the hydrogen halide were found to decrease in the order: HI> HBr>> HCl, and with respect to a given hydrogen halide in the order:(R0) 3P>>(RO) zP (O) H> ROP (OH) 2.2 b The dealkylation of phosphites with hydrogen halides which proceeds ...