A process for catalytic addition of haloalkanes to alkenes involving the step of reacting the
haloalkane with the
alkene in the presence of a catalyst. The catalyst is an organophosphite compound represented by the following formula: P(ORa)(ORb)(ORc), where Ra, Rb, and Rc are each an
alkyl group or an aralkyl group. The
haloalkane is as follows: (i) CR1R2R3R4, wherein (a) each of R1, R2, R3 and R4 is selected from the group consisting of a
chlorine atom, a
bromine atom or an
iodine atom; or (b) R1 is selected from the group consisting of a linear
alkyl group; a halo-substituted linear
alkyl group; an aralkyl group; an aralkyl group substituted with at least one of a
halogen atom on the alkyl portion thereof or a
halogen atom, alkyl group,
alkoxy group or -CO2R10 wherein R10 is a C1-C4 alkyl group on the
aryl portion thereof; an
aryl group and an
aryl group substituted with at least one of a
chlorine atom, a
fluorine atom, an
alkoxy group or a -CO2R11 group, wherein R11 is a C1-C4 alkyl group; and R2, R3 and R4 are as follows: R2 is an
iodine atom and R3 and R4 are each a
halogen atom except R3 and R4 are not each a
bromine atom or R2 and R3 are each a
bromine atom and R4 is a halogen atom. The catalyzed addition of the
haloalkane to the
alkene proceeds without any other components present in an excess amount, by weight, of the combined amount of the haloalkane,
alkene and organophosphite catalyst compound.