The facile preparation of O, O, S-trialkyl phosphorodithioates in high makes these esters attractive starting materials for the preparation of alkyl mercaptans and sulfides. Earlier work in this laboratory has shown that alkoxide cleavage of the O, O, S-trialkyl phosphorodithioates yields alkyl sulfides exclusively. The aqueous saponification of O, O-di- n-propyl-S-2-octyl phosphorodithioate and 0, O-di-n-propyl-Xa-phenethyl ...