Patent ID: 6919471

Claim:
A process for preparing alkyl/aryl chloroformates of formula R—OCOCI wherein R is selected from the group consisting of linear alkyl, branched alkyl, cycloalkyl, arylalkyl, aryl and substituted aryl, the process comprising: adding a solution of alcohol of formula R—OH wherein R is selected from the group consisting of linear alkyl, branched alkyl, cycloalkyl, arylalkyl, aryl and substituted aryl, in an organic solvent, to a mixture of triphosgene, a catalyst, a base and an organic solvent, at a temperature in the range of 0° C. to ambient for a time period in the range of 1 to 48 hours to obtain a solid wherein the base is selected from the group consisting of inorganic metal-carbonate and bicarbonate, separating the solid by filtration and removing the solvent from filtrate to obtain the alkyl/aryl chloroformate formula R—OCOCI, and purifying the alkyl/aryl chloroformate.