Verfahren zur Herstellung von phosphonischen Säuren

A process is provided for preparing phosphonous acids of the structure wherein R1 is lower alkyl or arylalkyl which are useful in preparing phosphinic and phosphonic acid ACE inhibitors, which process includes the steps of treating an olefin of the structure R1-CH=CH2 wherein R2is lower alkyl or arylalkyl with a phosphorus-containing reagent such as sodium hypophosphite or hypophosphorous acid in the presence of an organic alcohol solvent such as ethanol or methanol, and a radical initiator such as azobisisobutyronitrile, under acidic conditions, preferably at the reflux temperature of the organic solvent, to form the phosphonous acid without forming the alkyl ester.