the present invention relates to phosphorylated polyphenols , preferably tannins that , unlike their unphosphorylated counterparts , do not suffer from relatively low stability , resulting in an activity that is relatively short in time , and / or that do not result in yellowing of materials therewith such as textiles or polymers . the present invention further relates to a simple , cheap and environmentally friendly way of preparing these compounds . the phosphorylation process of the invention can be extended to simple phenolic compounds as well , as long as these have at least one accessible hydroxyl group . the phosphorylated compounds according to the invention can be used as antioxidants , as radical scavengers , as complexating agents for metals and proteins , as antibacterials or antiallergenic compounds , and as agents to flock textile .