Patent ID: 8829222

Claim:
A process for the manufacture of dialkyl phosphites starting from a P—O component having from 1 to 6 P—O—P bonds in the molecule comprising the step of: a) reacting a mixture of R′OH and the P—O component expressed in molar ratios of R′OH:P—O of at least 1:1 to 6:1, wherein R′ is selected from alkyl groups having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms in branched or linear configuration; and P(OA) 3 (trialkyl phosphite, TAP), wherein A stands for linear or branched alkyl groups having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms; whereby the minimum number of mole(s) of TAP, per P atom in the P—O molecule, required for the process, is represented by “z”, and z is determined by the formula z=2n−m, wherein; n is the number of P atoms in P—O and m is the number of P—O—P bonds in P—O; by adding the P—O, simultaneously with or separately from the TAP, to a reaction medium comprising the R′OH; and bringing the reaction mixture to a temperature in the range of from 40° C. to 180° C. for a period from 10 minutes to 10 hours.