Method of producing a phosphinyl-carboxylic acid derivative

A method of producing the resulting reaction product by the step comprising:

• reacting a phosphine derivative of the following general formula I):
• ##STR16## (wherein R.sub.1 is an alkyl group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms or an aryl group having 6 to 18 carbon atoms, and said aryl group may have an alkyl group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms or an alkenyl group having 2 to 18 carbon atoms)
• with acrylic acid or methacrylic acid in the presence of a catalyst selected from the group consisting of an organic peroxide and an azo-compound, said resulting reaction product having a chemical structure which:
• (1), when hydrolyzed, changes to a phosphinyl-carboxylic acid derivative of the following general formula (III):
• ##STR17## wherein R.sup.1 is as defined above, and R.sup.2 is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group,
• (2) when reacted with a hydroxyl group-containing compound of the following general formula (IV):
• R.sup.3 --OH (IV)
• (wherein R.sup.3 is an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms or an aryl group having 6 to 18 carbon atoms, and said aryl group may contain an alkyl group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms or an alkenyl group having 2 to 18 carbon atoms),
• changes to a phosphinyl-carboxylic acid derivative in the form of ester of the following general formula (V):
• ##STR18## (wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are as defined above, R.sup.3 is as defined above, R.sup.4 is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms or an aryl group having 6 to 18 carbon atoms, and said aryl group may contain an alkyl group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms or an alkenyl group having 2 to 18 carbon atoms), and
• (3) when reacted with acetic anhydride, changes to a phosphinyl-carboxylic acid derivative in the form of a cyclic acid anhydride of the following general formula (IV):
• ##STR19## (wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are as defined above).