Direct synthesis of free (α-hydroxyalkyl) phosphinic acid amphiphiles 1 can be readily realized by sonication of the heterogeneous mixture of 50% aqueous hypophosphorous acid and long-chain aldehydes in the presence of catalytic amounts of hydrochloric acid. Oxidation of these phosphinic acids by DMSO in the presence of catalytic amounts of iodine quantitatively leads to the corresponding phosphonic acids 3. IR spectra of the phosphinic ...