Pure product is white crystalline solid, slightly minty aroma. m.p. 175°C, relative density 1.33, vapor pressure 5.33×10-4Pa (25°C). Solubility is 15.8% in methanol, 1.2% in ethanol, 0.14% in xylene amide, 0.04% in benzene, 0.03% in acetone, 0.02% in n-hexane, 0.004% in chloroform and 179% in water. It can be decomposed by acid, strong alkali and calcium, magnesium salts, decompose above 80℃ and release ammonia, half-life in soil is about 7d, slightly corrosive to brass.
FOSAMINE AMMONIUM used to control many woody and brush species on noncrop land
Commercial literature does not give step by step manufacturing detail for fosamine ammonium, but its production can be reliably summarised from structure. Industrial processes would typically synthesise the phosphonic acid backbone first, by reacting a suitable phosphite with an isocyanate or carbamoylating agent to form the carbamoylphosphonic acid ethyl ester. This intermediate is then neutralised with ammonia under controlled pH and temperature to yield the highly water soluble ammonium salt.
Slight systemic activity, contact action. Acts by preventing dormant tissues from becoming active and growing again.
Mildly toxic by ingestion andinhalation. When heated todecomposition it emits very toxic fumes of NOx, POx, andNH3.
Soil. Fosamine is rapidly degraded to carbon dioxide by microorganisms in soil (Humburg et al., 1989). The reported half-life in soil is approximately 7 to 10 days (Hartley and Kidd, 1987; Worthing and Hance, 1991).
Plant. After a 2.5% application to multiora rose plant leaves, 19, 21, 22, and 43% of the applied amount was absorbed after 1, 4, 8, 16 and 32 days, respectively (Mann et al., 1986). Degrades rapidly in plants with a half-life of 2 to 3 weeks (H
Chemical/Physical. Fosamine-ammonium is stable as a dilute solution but decomposes in weak acidic media (Worthing and Hance, 1991), probably forming water-soluble salts.
Herbicide; Plant Growth Regulator
