The present invention discloses an improved process for preparation of acephate and intermediates thereof. More particularly, the present invention relates to a process for preparation of thiophosphoryl chloride useful for commercial production of pesticides and pharmaceutically active compounds.

The present invention is directed to Compounds of Formula (I) and salts thereof, wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are defined above herein. The present invention is also directed to uses of the compounds of Formula (I) to add phosphoramidate groups onto organic alcohols.

##STR00001##

Preparation of O,O-dimethyl phosphoramidothioate and O,O-dimethyl phosphoroamidothioate. A process of making O,O-dimethyl phosphoroamidothioate is described including reacting sulfur with PCl.sub.3 to form PSCl.sub.3, reacting the PSCl.sub.3 formed with methanol to form O-methyl phosphorodichloridothioate, and reacting the O-methyl phosphorodichloridothioate formed with methyl lye to form O,O-dimethyl phosphorochloridothioate in solution in CH.sub.2Cl.sub.2, and reacting the O,O-dimethyl phosphorochloridothioate formed with sodium hydroxide and ammonium hydroxide to form O,O-dimethyl phosphoroamidothioate in solution in CH.sub.2Cl.sub.2. Reacting the O,O-dimethyl phosphoroamidothioate formed with catalytic dimethyl sulfate to form methamidophos and reacting the methamidophos formed with acetic anhydride to form N-(methoxy-methylsulfanylphosphoryl) acetamide is also described. Throughout the process, the O,O-dimethyl phosphorochloridothioate and the O,O-dimethyl phosphoroamidothioate formed are maintained in solution in CH.sub.2Cl.sub.2 at all times.

The present invention relates to a continuous flow process for synthesis of acephate and its intermediates. The present invention more particularly relates to synthesis of acephate and its intermediates in a microreactor system.

Preparation of O,O-dimethyl phosphoramidothioate and O,O-dimethyl phosphoroamidothioate. A process of making O,O-dimethyl phosphoroamidothioate is described including reacting sulfur with PCl.sub.3 to form PSCl.sub.3, reacting the PSCl.sub.3 formed with methanol to form O-methyl phosphorodichloridothioate, and reacting the O-methyl phosphorodichloridothioate formed with methyl lye to form O,O-dimethyl phosphorochloridothioate in solution in CH.sub.2Cl.sub.2, and reacting the O,O-dimethyl phosphorochloridothioate formed with sodium hydroxide and ammonium hydroxide to form O,O-dimethyl phosphoroamidothioate in solution in CH.sub.2Cl.sub.2. Reacting the O,O-dimethyl phosphoroamidothioate formed with catalytic dimethyl sulfate to form methamidophos and reacting the methamidophos formed with acetic anhydride to form N-(methoxy-methylsulfanylphosphoryl) acetamide is also described. Throughout the process, the O,O-dimethyl phosphorochloridothioate and the O,O-dimethyl phosphoroamidothioate formed are maintained in solution in CH.sub.2Cl.sub.2 at all times.

Preparation of O,O-dimethyl phosphoramidothioate and O,O-dimethyl phosphoroamidothioate. A process of making O,O-dimethyl phosphoroamidothioate is described including reacting sulfur with PCl.sub.3 to form PSCl.sub.3, reacting the PSCl.sub.3 formed with methanol to form O-methyl phosphorodichloridothioate, and reacting the O-methyl phosphorodichloridothioate formed with methyl lye to form O,O-dimethyl phosphorochloridothioate in solution in CH.sub.2Cl.sub.2, and reacting the O,O-dimethyl phosphorochloridothioate formed with sodium hydroxide and ammonium hydroxide to form O,O-dimethyl phosphoroamidothioate in solution in CH.sub.2Cl.sub.2. Reacting the O,O-dimethyl phosphoroamidothioate formed with catalytic dimethyl sulfate to form methamidophos, and reacting the methamidophos formed with acetic anhydride to form N-(methoxy-methylsulfanylphosphoryl) acetamide is also described. Throughout the process, the O,O-dimethyl phosphorochloridothioate and the O,O-dimethyl phosphoroamidothioate formed are maintained in solution in CH.sub.2Cl.sub.2 at all times.

Preparation of O,O-dimethyl phosphoramidothioate and O,O-dimethyl phosphoroamidothioate. A process of making O,O-dimethyl phosphoroamidothioate is described including reacting sulfur with PCl.sub.3 to form PSCl.sub.3, reacting the PSCl.sub.3 formed with methanol to form O-methyl phosphorodichloridothioate, and reacting the O-methyl phosphorodichloridothioate formed with methyl lye to form O,O-dimethyl phosphorochloridothioate in solution in CH.sub.2Cl.sub.2, and reacting the O,O-dimethyl phosphorochloridothioate formed with sodium hydroxide and ammonium hydroxide to form O,O-dimethyl phosphoroamidothioate in solution in CH.sub.2Cl.sub.2. Reacting the O,O-dimethyl phosphoroamidothioate formed with catalytic dimethyl sulfate to form methamidophos, and reacting the methamidophos formed with acetic anhydride to form N-(methoxy-methylsulfanylphosphoryl) acetamide is also described. Throughout the process, the O,O-dimethyl phosphorochloridothioate and the O,O-dimethyl phosphoroamidothioate formed are maintained in solution in CH.sub.2Cl.sub.2 at all times.

The present invention is directed to Compounds of Formula (I) and salts thereof, wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are defined above herein. The present invention is also directed to uses of the compounds of Formula (I) to add phosphoramidate groups onto organic alcohols. ##STR00001##

The present invention provides novel liver-targeted prodrugs of mitochondrial proton ionophores. These compounds have utility in medicine including their use in treatment of diseases such as NASH and NAFLD.

Disclosed are one or more compounds comprising chemically modified gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB), 2-hydroxytetrahydrofuran, and/or 1,4-butanediol, and salts of such compounds (GHB delivering compounds and salts thereof). Also disclosed are compositions comprising at least one GHB delivering compound, or a salt thereof, methods of making such compounds, and methods of using such GHB delivering compounds and compositions. Methods of treatment using the compounds are also disclosed.