o-Phenylene phosphorochloridate (IV), readily prepared from catechol in good yield, reacts rapidly and quantitatively with stoicheiometric amounts of alcohols (including tertiary alcohols) in the presence of a suitable base (triethylamine or 2, 6-lutidine) and in a suitable solvent (dioxan, tetrahydrofuran, or benzene). Alkyl o-hydroxyphenyl phosphate salts (IX) were thus obtained in virtually quantitative yields, and sometimes as pure crystalline ...
