PRODUCTION OF CYCLOALKYLDIARYLPHOSPHINES

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a cycloalkyldiaryphosphine in which the 2-position of a cycloalkyl is substituted with an alkyl by an industrially readily handleable method in a short process in a high yield by reacting a lithium diaryl phosphide with a cycloalkylsulfonate in an ether-based solvent. SOLUTION: A lithium diaryl phosphide of the formula LiPR1R2 (R1 and R2 are each a substituted or nonsubstituted aryl) is reacted with a cycloalkylsulfonate of the formula: R3OSO2R4 (R3 is a cycloalkyl substituted with an alkyl at the 2-position; R4 is a lower alkyl or phenyl substituted with a lower alkyl) in an ether-based solvent (a cyclic alkyl monoether preferably such as tetrahydrofuran, etc.), to give the objective compound of the formula. Preferably lithium diphenyl phosphide is reacted with menthyl mesylate or menthyl tosylate to give d-neomenthyldiphenylphosphine. The reaction temperature is preferably 25-35 deg.C.