It is lipophilic, and like other phosphine oxides serves as a Lewis base owing to a partial negative charge at the O atom.

TOPO is usually prepared by oxidation of trioctylphosphine, which in turn is produced by alkylation of phosphorus trichloride.

Its high polarity, which results from the dipolar phosphorus-oxygen bond, allows this compound to bind to metal ions.

[4] In the research laboratory, both trioctylphosphine and TOPO are frequently useful as a capping ligand for the production of quantum dots such as those consisting of CdSe.

TOPO-coated quantum dots are typically soluble in chloroform, toluene, and (to a lesser extent) hexane.