Trialkyl phosphates can be prepared in high yield and purity by the halogenation of trialkyl phosphites in the presence of the corresponding alcohols. The principal side reactions, which can all be suppressed, are isomerization of the phosphite and cleavage of the phosphite and phosphate by hydrogen halide. Competition of the alcohol for the halogen was observed in only one case. A mechanism involving the direct alcoholysis of a quasi- ...
