Continuous process for the manufacture of phosphoric acid esters

Abstract

A method of making phosphoric acid esters by continuously reacting a phosphorus oxyhalide with a polyol to produce at least about 60% normalized monomeric halophosphate intermediate, and then reacting the monomeric halophosphate intermediate with an alcohol to produce a desired phosphoric acid ester is provided. In other embodiments, the reaction of the monomeric halophosphate intermediate with the alcohol can also be carried out continuously. Another aspect of the invention provides a method of making phosphoric acid esters by continuously reacting a phosphorus oxyhalide with a monohydric alcohol to produce at least about 60% normalized monohalomonophosphate diester intermediate, and then reacting the monohalomonophosphate diester intermediate with a polyol to produce a phosphoric acid ester. In other embodiments, the reaction of the monohalomonophosphate diester intermediate with the polyol may also be carried out continuously.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.