This thesis is an investigation of the vacuum uv spectra of the phosphorus, phosphoryl, and thiophosphoryl trichlorofluorides in the region 1250 to 3000A. Assignments for absorption bands are made utilizing results from photoelectron spectra and ab initio calculations, oscillator strengths for absorption bands, and CNDO/2 molecular orbital calculations. Results from CNDO/2 calculations are compared with theoretical calculations, and experimental data are discussed with regard to the bonding in the compounds.