Introduction

Organic compounds of phosphorus are the essential constituent of protoplasm and play important roles for maintenance of life, for example, as nucleic acids, nucleotide coenzymes, metabolic intermediates, and phosphatides. The research in the field of the organic chemistry of phosphorus was first undertaken by Lassaigne, in 1820, to prepare phosphate esters. The chemistry of organophosphorus compounds was developed extensively by Michaelis in Germany, during the late 19th century and the beginning of this century. The nomenclature of the organic phosphorus compounds is confusing because different countries use their own system. Some examples of different nomenclature systems adopted by Chemical Abstracts, Beilstein, Scandinavia, Kosolapoffs book, and others have been shown by Fest. The names of commercial pesticides are more confusing because of the variety of common and proprietary names. A proprietary name is always used with a capital letter and a registered trade name is followed by an ®.