Preparation of esters of the N-phosphonomethylglycine and the N-phosphonomethyl glycines

摘要

Phosphonic diesters, capable of being employed as intermediates for making herbicides, having the formula <IMAGE> (I) in which R denotes a hydrogenolyzable group; preferably an arylalkyl group, R1 denotes a hydrolyzable group, R2 denotes a hydrogen atom or hydrolyzable group such as those defined for R1. Preparation of the compounds of the formula (I) from phosphites, formaldehyde and N-substituted glycine esters.