Reaction of Phosphorus Chlorides with Ammonium Bicarbonate

Abstract

Phosphorus pentachloride, phosphorus oxychloride and phosphorus trichloride reacted spontaneously with dry ammonium bicarbonate at room temperature. The major product from the pentachloride and oxychloride was tetraammonium pyrophosphate. The trichloride afforded a mixture of tetraammonium pyrophosphite and the pyrophosphate. In the presence of benzene, the product from the pentachloride appeared to be hydrolyzed by water formed during the reaction to diammonium phosphate. The appearance of tripolyphosphate in the nmr spectra of the products is discussed.