Spectroscopic identification of monomeric methyl metaphosphate.

Monomeric methyl metaphosphate (CH3OPO2), a highly electrophilic phosphorylating intermediate in chemical oligonucleotide synthesis, has been generated in the gas phase by high-vacuum flash pyrolysis (1000 K) of methyl 2-butenylphosphonate. In addition to the unambiguous characterization using IR spectroscopy in solid N2-, Ar-, and Ne-matrices, the formation CH3OPO2 in the photooxidation of the prototypical phosphinidene oxide CH3PO by O2 with 18O-isotope scrambling has been observed in the solid N2-matrix (15 K).