Patent ID: 8735477

Claim:
A method for producing monocarboxy-functionalized dialkylphosphinic acids, esters or salts, comprising the steps of: a) reacting a phosphinic acid source (I) with one or more olefins (IV) in the presence of a catalyst A to form an alkylphosphonous acid, salt or ester (II) b) reacting the alkylphosphonous acid, salt or ester (II) with one or more acrylonitrile (V) in the presence of a catalyst B to form a monofunctionalized dialkylphosphinic acid derivative (VI) and c) reacting the monofunctionalized dialkylphosphinic acid derivative (VI) in the presence of a catalyst C to form a monocarboxy-functionalized dialkylphosphinic acid derivative (III) where R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , R 6 , R 7 are identical or different and are each independently H, C 1 -C 18 -alkyl, C 6 -C 18 -aryl, C 6 -C 18 -aralkyl, C 6 -C 18 -alkylaryl, CN, CHO, OC(O)CH 2 CN, CH(OH)C 2 H 5 , CH 2 CH(OH)CH 3 , 9-anthracene, 2-pyrrolidone, (CH 2 ) m OH, (CH 2 ) m NH 2 , (CH 2 ) m NCS, (CH 2 ) m NC(S)NH 2 , (CH 2 ) m SH, (CH 2 ) m S-2-thiazoline, (CH 2 ) m SiMe 3 , C(O)R 8 , (CH 2 ) m C(O)R 8 , CH=CH-R 8 or CH=CH-C(O)R 8 and where R 8 is C 1 -C 8 -alkyl or C 6 -C 18 -aryl and m is an integer from 0 to 10 and X and Y are identical or different and are each independently H, C 1 -C 18 -alkyl, C 6 -C 18 -aryl, C 6 -C 18 -aralkyl, C 6 -C 18 -alkylaryl, (CH 2 ) k OH, CH 2 —CHOH—CH 2 OH, (CH 2 ) k O(CH 2 ) k H, (CH 2 ) k —CH(OH)—(CH 2 ) k H, (CH 2 —CH 2 O) k H, (CH 2 —C[CH 3 ]HO) k H, (CH 2 —C[CH 3 ]HO) k (CH 2 —CH 2 O) k H, (CH 2 —CH 2 O) k (CH 2 —C[CH 3 ]HO)H, (CH 2 —CH 2 O) k -alkyl, (CH 2 —C[CH 3 ]HO) k -alkyl, (CH 2 —C[CH 3 ]HO) k (CH 2 —CH 2 O) k -alkyl, (CH 2 —CH 2 O) k (CH 2 —C[CH 3 ]HO)O-alkyl, (CH 2 ) k —CH═CH(CH 2 ) k H, (CH 2 ) k NH 2 or (CH 2 ) k N[(CH 2 ) k H] 2 , where k is an integer from 0 to 10, Mg, Ca, Al, Sb, Sn, Ge, Ti, Fe, Zr, Zn, Ce, Bi, Sr, Mn, Cu, Ni, Li, Na, K, H, a protonated nitrogen base or a combination thereof and the catalyst A is selected from the group of transition metals, transition metal compounds, catalyst systems composed of a transition metal or transition metal compound and at least one ligand and a combination thereof, and the catalyst B is selected from the group consisting of peroxide-forming compounds, peroxo compounds, azo compounds, comprises alkali hydrides, alkaline earth metal hydrides, alkali alkoxides, alkaline earth metal alkoxides and a combination thereof and the catalyst C is an acid or a base.