Products of the Reaction Between Alcohols and Phosphorus Pentoxide. III. Identification by Infrared Spectrophotometry

The various compounds obtained by the reaction P₄O₁₀ + 4ROH (where R represents hydrocarbon radicals of various length and structure) were identified by infrared spectrophotometry of the fractions separated by column chromatography. The identification was made possible by a comparison between the relative values of the integrated absorption for the P = O, P‐O‐P, P‐O‐C and O‐H bands with those of known standards. For the reaction of phosphorus pentoxide with ethanol, the compounds formed were found to be: mono‐, di‐ and triethyl phosphate, mono‐, (1, 2) di‐ and triethyl‐pyrophosphate; (1, 3) di‐ and (1, 2, 3) triethyl triphosphate; mono‐ and diethyl trimetaphosphate. With other alcohols, only homologs of these compounds were found, but always fewer compounds. Uncertainty between possible isomers was resolved by identification of their acid hydrolysis products.