Patent ID: 6888031

Claim:
A process for the preparation of acylphosphine oxides and acylphosphine sulfides of formula IV n=1, m=2, and R 1 is C 1 -C 18 alkyl, C 2 -C 18 alkyl which is interrupted by one or several non-successive O atoms; phenyl-substituted C 1 -C 4 alkyl, C 2 -C 8 alkenyl, phenyl, naphthyl, biphenyl, C 5 -C 12 cycloalkyl, the groups phenyl, naphthyl, biphenyl, C 5 -C 12 cycloalkyl being unsubstituted or substituted by one to five halogen, C 1 -C 8 alkyl, C 1 -C 8 alkylthio and/or C 1 -C 8 alkoxy; Z is O or S, R 2 is C 1 -C 18 alkyl, C 3 -C 12 cycloalkyl, C 2 -C 18 alkenyl, phenyl, naphthyl, biphenyl, the groups phenyl, naphthyl, biphenyl being unsubstituted or substituted by one to four C 1 -C 8 alkyl, C 1 -C 8 alkoxy, C 1 -C 8 alkylthio and/or halogen; R 3 is C 1 -C 18 alkyl, C 2 -C 18 alkyl which is interrupted by one or several non-successive O atoms; phenyl-substituted C 1 -C 4 alkyl, C 2 -C 8 alkenyl, phenyl, naphthyl, biphenyl, C 5 -C 12 cycloalkyl, the groups phenyl, naphthyl, biphenyl, C 5 -C 12 cycloalkyl being unsubstituted or substituted by one to five halogen, C 1 -C 8 alkyl, C 1 -C 8 alkylthio and/or C 1 -C 8 alkoxy; by (1) reacting organic phosphorus halides of formula II wherein R 1 , R 3 , n and m have the meaning cited above and Y is Br or Cl, with an alkali metal or with magnesium in combination with lithium, or with mixtures thereof, with or without a catalyst, and (2) subsequent reaction with m acid halides of formula III wherein R 2 , m and Y have the meaning cited above, and (3) oxidation or reaction with sulfur of the acylphosphine of formula I which is obtained by reaction (2), wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , m and n have the meaning cited above, which process is carried out without isolation of the intermediates.