Method for Producing Tertiary Phosphines

A process for preparing tertiary phosphines by reacting a compound of the general formula (I)

• in which
• A is R1 or L2,
• B is R2 or L3,
• the R1 and R2 radicals are each independently an organic radical having in each case from 1 to 30 carbon atoms, where the R1 and R2 radicals may also be joined together;
• and
• the leaving groups L1 to L3 are each independently halogen, alkyloxy having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms or aryloxy having from 6 to 10 carbon atoms
• (a) with an alkali metal in an organic aprotic solvent and
• (b) a compound of the general formula (II)
• L4-R3 (II)
• in which
• the R3 radical is an organic radical having in each case from 1 to 30 carbon atoms;
• and
• the leaving group L4 is halogen, alkyloxy having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms or aryloxy having from 6 to 10 carbon atoms,
• which comprises first combining the alkali metal in the organic aprotic solvent with the compound (I) and then the resulting mixture with the compound (II), and hydrolyzing the resulting reaction mixture with an aqueous base which has a pH of ≧10, and removing the organic phase from the aqueous phase.