Phosphorous trichloride is a starting product for a variety of inorganic and organic phosphorous compounds such as phosphorous oxychloride, phosphorous sulfochloride, phosphorous acid, alkyl or aryl phosphites, dialkyl phosphites and phosphonates.
It is used, for example, in the manufacture of pesticides, of pharmaceuticals and additives or of stabilizers for plastics. Phosphorous trichloride serves as a chlorinating agent in organic synthesis, e.g. in the production of fatty acid chlorides and as a catalyst.
