Reactions of Dimethyl Benzoylphosphonate

Reactions of dimethyl benzoylphosphonate (I) with various nucleophiles are described. The ester can serve simply as a useful benzoylation agent or it can undergo addition reactions to give substituted α-hydroxybenzylphosphonates. Its keto-group can be reduced to hydroxyl and can participate in the Wittig-Horner reaction. By the action of I with hydroxylamine in the presence of sodium formate, benzonitrile is obtained.