Production Methods
Colophonate was produced on a small industrial scale as a specialty organophosphate insecticide, and its manufacture followed the same general pathway used for other phosphorothioate esters. Commercial production began with preparation of the phosphorothiochloridate intermediate, which was reacted with the appropriate phenolic or aliphatic alcohol component under controlled, moisture free conditions to form the ester bond. The reaction was typically carried out in batch reactors using inert atmospheres, followed by neutralisation, solvent removal, and purification to yield technical grade colophonate.
