Process for preparing 1-ethynylcyclohexanol and homologues

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF 1-ETHYNYL-CYCLOHEXANOL AND HOMOLOGUES THEREOF WHICH COMPRISES DISSOLVING ACETYLENE UNDER A PRESSURE OF AT LEAST ABOUT 100 POUNDS PER SQUARE INCH AND AT A TEMPERATURE UP TO ABOUT 30*C. IN A LIQUID PHASE COMPRISED OF A MIXTURE OF (1) A KETONE FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF CYCLOHEXANONE AND ALKYL-SUBSTITUTED CYCLOHEXANONES IN WHICH THE ALKYL GROUP IS IN THE RANGE OF C1 TO ABOUT C8, (2) AN ALCOHOL FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF METHANOL, ETHANOL, AND ISOPROPANOL, AND (3) AN ETHYNYLATION CATALYST FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF SODIUM AND POTASSIUM ALKOXIDES IN AN AMOUNT WHICH CONSTITUTES FROM ABOUT 0.5 TO ABOUT 5.0 WEIGHT PERCENT OF THE TOTAL CHARGE, THE AMOUNT OF ACETYLENE PRESENT BEING IN THE RATIO OF AT LEAST ONE MOLE PER MOLE OF THE KETONE, PASSING THIS REACTION MIXTURE THROUGH A REACTION ZONE WHERE THE MIXTURE IS HEATED TO AT LEAST ABOUT 100*C. UNDER A PRESSURE OF AT LEAST 1,000 P.S.I.G. SO AS TO PREVENT THE FORMATION OF A VAPOR PHASE, AND THEREAFTER SEPARATING THE ETHYNYL CARBINOL FORMED THEREBY FROM THE EFFLUENT FROM THE REACTION ZONE.