Alkylation by means of phosphorus-containing esters

It has been known for a long time that when triphenyl phosphate is heated with sodium ethoxide, phenetole results. It is possible that there is initially an interchange between the aryl phosphate and the ethoxide giving triethyl phosphate and that 

It is now known that triaJkyl phosphates will indeed alkylate I nols. The idea has been extended to the production of methyl ethers from alcohols and trimethyl phosphate, and of a butyl ether according to the equation 

Tertiary amines can often be formed by the reaction between a trialkyl phosphate on an amine at a high temperature  

Tribenzyl phosphate and tetrabenzyl pyrophosphate are hyperalkylating agents and produce quaternary amine salts. 

Reference may be made to the great value of this reaction in the synthesis of adenosine triphosphate.  

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