Phosphorous acid is a reducer in chemical reactions and a raw material in the making of phosphorous acid salts. A plant defoliant.
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A white crystalline
solid. It is a monobasic acid forming the
anion H2PO2- in water. The sodium salt,
and hence the acid, can be prepared by
heating yellow phosphorus with sodium
hydroxide solution. The free acid and its
salts are powerful reducing agents.