Organophosphate
Organophosphates (also known as phosphate esters) are a class of organophosphorus compounds with the general structure O=P(OR). They can be considered as esters of phosphoric acid. Like most functional groups organophosphates occur in a diverse range of forms, with important examples including key biomolecules such as DNA, RNA and ATP, as well as many insecticides, herbicides, and nerve agents.
Organophosphorus compound
Compounds where phosphorus exists in a formal oxidation state of less than III are uncommon, but examples are known for each class. Organophosphorus(0) species are debatably illustrated by the carbene adducts, [P(NHC)], where NHC is an N-heterocyclic carbene. With the formulae (RP) and (RP), respectively, compounds of phosphorus(I) and (II) are generated by reduction of the related organophosphorus(III) chlorides:
Diphosphenes, with the formula RP, formally contain phosphorus-phosphorus double bonds. These phosphorus(I) species are rare but are stable provided that the organic substituents are large enough to prevent catenation. Many mixed-valence compounds are known, e.g. the cage P(CH).