Organophosphine compounds which contain at least two phosphorus-to-phosphorus bonds in sequence and pentavalent phosphorus derivatives thereof

Claim 1

A PROCESS WHEREIN A PHOSPHINE OF THE FORMULA RNPX3-N WHERE R IS A HYDROCARBON RADICAL, N IS AN INTEGER FROM 0 TO 2, AND X IS SELECTED FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF THE HYDROGEN ATOM AND HALOGEN ATOMS, AND A COMPOUND OF THE FORMULA RMPA3-M WHERE R IS AS DEFINED HEREINABOVE, M IS DEFINED THE SAME AS N, PROVIDED BOTH M AND N CANNOT IN THE SAME REACTION BE 0 AND BOTH M AND N CANNOT IN THE SAME REACTION BE 2, AND A IS A RADICAL SELECTED FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF ALKALI METALS, NH2 AND RADICALS OF EASILY VOLATILE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY AMINES OF THE FORMULA R''NH2 AND R''2NH WHEREIN R'' IS AN ALKYL RADICAL HAVING NOT MORE THAN 8 CARBON ATOMS, PROVIDED A IS AN AMINO RADICAL WHEN X IS THE HYDROGEN ATOM AND A IS AN ALKALI METAL WHEN X IS A HALOGEN ATOM, ARE REACTED AND IN THE CASE OF AN AMINOPHOSPHINE ARE HEATED AT A TEMPERATURE ABOVE THE DECOMPOSITION POINT OF THE AMINOPHOSPHINE TILL NO FURTHER SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF AMINE IS EVOLVED.