Triethylphosphate/Phosphorus Pentoxide as an Efficient Reagent for the Phosphorylation of Phenols

A simple, efficient, and novel method has been developed for the phosphorylation of phenols. Treatment of phenols with a mixture of triethylphosphate/phosphorus pentoxide gives the corresponding phosphate derivatives in good yields. This method is easy, rapid, and offers good yields for the phosphorylation of phenols. The reaction of triethylphosphate with phosphorus pentoxide was also studied by variable-temperature 31P-NMR spectroscopy.