Phosphorochloridites are produced by partial alcoholysis of phosphorus trichloride, which proceeds stepwise:
:PCl  +  ROH  →   HCl  +  (RO)PCl (phosphochloridite)
:(RO)PCl  +  ROH  →   HCl  +  (RO)PCl (phosphodichloridite)
:(RO)PCl  +  ROH  →   HCl  +  (RO)P (phosphite)
These reactions are readily controlled with aromatic diols, such as binaphthol and 2,2'-biphenol.
Phosphorochloridites are precursors to diphosphite ligands.  When combined with rhodium precursors such as Rh(acac)(CO), these diphosphite ligands afford catalysts that are used industrially for the hydroformylation of alkenes. it and related ligands have become popular in hydroformylation catalysis.