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The thermal decomposition of phosphonium alkoxides has been investigated. In general, n-alkyltriphenyl-phosphonium salts with sodium alkoxides at 280° give n-alkyldiphenylphosphine and alkyl phenyl ether. Olefin formation is a minor reaction but becomes the major one with secondary- and tertiary- alkylphosphonium alkoxides. With sodium thiophenoxide the reaction is entirely nucleophilic displacement of triphenylphosphine.
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Eyles et al. (1966) studied this question.
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