Production of tertiary (hydroxymethyl)-methylphosphine oxides

摘要

Production of tertiary (hydroxymethyl)-methylphosphine oxides of the general formula: <IMAGE> (I) in which R stands for a branched or unbranched, substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, cycloalkyl, aralkyl or aryl group having from 1 to 18 carbon atoms. To this end tertiary bis-(hydroxymethyl)-phosphines of the general formula <IMAGE> (II) in which R has the meaning given above, are subjected to a thermal rearrangement reaction at temperatures higher than about 90 DEG C or at temperatures within the range -10 DEG and +250 DEG C, in the presence of a catalyst.