OXIDATION OF PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS

摘要

A phosphite triester compound which comprises the residue of an ethylenically un saturated alcohol is oxidised to form the corresponding phosphate triester. The product may be reacted in subsequent steps to form a zwitterionic compound, for instance a phosphoryl choline derivative. In a particularly preferred embodiment of the pro cess, the oxidising agent is a tertiary amine oxide and the starting phosphite triester is a cyclic compound which can be reacted with the a mine by-product of the oxidation reaction to open the ring.