Pyrrolidonyl-gamma-butyramide and process of preparing

Claim 2

A CHEMICAL COMPOUND HAVING THE FORMULA:

Claim 3

IN THE PROCESS OF PREPARING 2-PYRROLIDONE WHICH COMPRISES HEATING A MIXTURE OF $-BUTYROLACTONE AND ANHYDROUS LIQUID AMMONIA IN THE MOLAR RATIO OF 1:1.1 TO 1:1.5 MAINTAINED AT A PRESSURE OF FROM 1600 TO 2300 LBS/SQ. IN. AT A TEMPERATURE OF FROM 140* TO 220*C. TO YIELD A MIXTURE CONTAINING $-HYDROXBUTYRAMIDE, HEATING SAID MIXTURE AT A TEMPERATURE OF FROM 250* TO 300*C. WHILE MAINTAINING SAID PRESSURE TO YIELD A SECOND MIXTURE WHEREIN THE SAID $-HYDROXYBUTYRAMIDE HAS RING-CLOSED TO 2-PYRROLIDONE, PASSING SAID SECOND MIXTGURE TO A FLASH DRUM MAINTAINED AT A TEMPERATURE OF FROM 200* TO 275*C. AND A PRESSURE OF FROM 40 TO 300 MM. WHEREBY A RESIDUE SETTLES TO THE BOTTOM AND THE OVERHEAD VAPOR PROCEEDS TO A DISILLATION UNIT TO RECOVER THE 2-PYRROLIDONE FROM SAID SECOND MIXTURE, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES PREHEATING AND MAINTAINING SAID MIXTURE OF $-BUTYROLACTONE AND ANHYDROUS LIQUID AMMONIA AT A TEMPERATURE OF FROM 50* TO 100*C. AND A PRESSURE OF FROM 1600 TO 2300 LBS/SQ. IN. FOR A PERIOD OF AT LEAST 2 1/2 HOURS BEFORE HEATING AS ABOVE TO 140* TO 220*C., WHEREBY SAID RESIDUE RECOVERED FROM SAID FLASH DRUM IS A THICK GREENISH-BROWN OIL CONTAINING PYRROLIDONYL-$-BUTYRAMIDE, TREATING SAID RESIDUE WITH AN INERT ORGANIC SOLVENT WHEREIN SAID PYRROLIDONYL-$-BUTYRAMIDE IS RELATIVELY INSOLUBLE, AND REMOVING THE RESULTING SOLUTION FROM UNDISSOLVED PYRROLIDONYL-$-BUTYRAMIDE.

Claim 4

IN THE PROCESS OF PREPARING 2-PYRROLIDONE WHICH COMPRISES HEATING A MIXTURE OF $-BUTYROLACTONE AND ANHYDROUS LIQUID AMMONIA IN THE MOLAR RATIO OF 1:1.1 TO 1:1.5 MAINTAINED AT A PRESSURE OF FROM 1600 TO 2300 LBS/SQ. IN. AT A TEMPERATURE OF FROM 140* TO 220*C. TO YIELD A MIXTURE CONTAINING $-HYDROXBUTYRAMIDE, HEATING SAID MIXTURE AT A TEMPERATURE OF FROM 250* TO 300*C. WHILE MAINTAINING SAID PRESSURE TO YIELD A SECOND MIXTURE WHEREIN THE SAID $-HYDROXYBUTYRAMIDE HAS RING-CLOSED TO 2-PYRROLIDONE, PASSING SAID SECOND MIXTGURE TO A FLASH DRUM MAINTAINED AT A TEMPERATURE OF FROM 200* TO 275*C. AND A PRESSURE OF FROM 40 TO 300 MM. WHEREBY A RESIDUE SETTLES TO THE BOTTOM AND THE OVERHEAD VAPOR PROCEEDS TO A DISILLATION UNIT TO RECOVER THE 2-PYRROLIDONE FROM SAID SECOND MIXTURE, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES PREHEATING AND MAINTAINING SAID MIXTURE OF $-BUTYROLACTONE AND ANHYDROUS LIQUID AMMONIA AT A TEMPERATURE OF FROM 50* TO 100*C. AND A PRESSURE OF FROM 1600 TO 2300 LBS/SQ. IN. FOR A PERIOD OF AT LEAST 2 1/2 HOURS BEFORE HEATING AS ABOVE TO 140* TO 220*C., WHEREBY SAID RESIDUE RECOVERED FROM SAID FLASH DRUM IS A THICK GREENISH-BROWN OIL CONTAINING PYRROLIDONYL-$-BUTYRAMIDE, TREATING SAID RESIDUE WITH AN INERT ORGANIC SOLVENT WHEREIN SAID PYRROLIDONYL-$-BUTYRAMIDE IS RELATIVELY INSOLUBLE, AND REMOVING THE RESULTING SOLUTION FROM UNDISSOLVED PYRROLIDONYL-$-BUTYRAMIDE.