Thermal fragmentation of 2-chloropentylphosphonic salts in the solid state. Counter-ion effects on reactivity and selectivity

The monoanion of 2-chloropentylphosphonic acid was thermally decomposed in the solid state, and the products of the fragmentation were identified and quantitatively determined. The reaction can involve either the elimination of HCl or the Cl ion and the metaphosphate (HPO₃), and it was found that the nature of the counter ion affects strongly the selectivity of the fragmentation. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 8: 421–428, 1997