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Organophosphorus chemistry studies organic compounds containing phosphorus, including their structures, bonding, and reactions. Direct phosphorus-carbon bonds occur in phosphonate esters, while phosphorus-oxygen-carbon connections occur in phosphate esters.

Different functional groups support different reactions. A phosphorus ylide can convert a carbonyl group into an alkene in a Wittig reaction, showing how a phosphorus-containing reagent can construct a new carbon-carbon bond.

A phosphonate ester contains a phosphorus-carbon bond and esterified phosphorus-oxygen groups, commonly represented as $\mathrm{R}-\mathrm{P}(=\mathrm{O})(\mathrm{O}{\mathrm{R}}^{\prime }{)}_2$. The carbon bonded directly to phosphorus distinguishes this framework from an ordinary phosphate ester.

Changing the organic groups changes solubility and reactivity while retaining the phosphorus-containing functional group. Phosphonate esters are consequently useful intermediates for forming carbon-carbon bonds in organic synthesis.