Production of hydroxy compounds by hydrogenolysis of buffered carboxylate salts

Abstract

Abstract CARBOXYLIC ACIDS ARE CONVERTED TO THE CORRESPONDING HYDROXYMETHYL-SUBSTITUTED COMPOUNDS BY PREPARING AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION OF THEIR ALKALI METAL SALTS BUFFERED TO A PH BETWEEN ABOUT 6.0 AND 7.0 AND THEN REACTING THE BUFFERED SALT SOLUTION WITH HYDROGEN IN THE PRESENCE OF A HYDROGENOLYSIS CATALYST SUCH AS ACTIVE METALLIC COBALT. IN A PARTICULARLY UESFUL EMBODIMENT THE POTASSIUM SALTS OF CARBOXYLIC ACIDS, DICARBOXYLIC ACIDS, AND HYDROXYCARBOXYLIC ACIDS HAVING AT LEAST ABOUT FOUR CARBON ATOMS ARE HYDROGENOLYZED IN A REACTOR WITHIN WHICH THE DESIRED BUFFERING IS ACCOMPLISHED WITH POTASSIUM BICARBONATE IN THE PRESENCE OF A FINITE CONCENTRATION OF FREE CARBON DIOXIDE. AFTER THE REACTION STEP THE LIQUID PRODUCT IS DEGASSED AT A TEMPERATURE HIGH ENOUGH TO DECOMPOSE POTASSIUM BICARBONATE TO POTASSIUM CARBONATE; THE REACTION PRODUCT SEPARATES INTO TWO PHASES BECAUSE OF THE SALTING-OUT ACTION OF THE RESULTING POTASSIUM CARBONATE, AND THE ORGANIC PRODUCTS CAN BE RECOVERED BY DECANTATION WHILE THE AQUEOUS PHASE, CONTAINING REUSEABLE POTASSIUM CARBONATE, IS RECYCLED TO THE ACID-NEUTRALIZATION STEP WHICH PRECEDES THE HYDROGENOLYSIS.

Inventors

• 👤 C Hobbs
• 👤 J Bedford

Bibliographic Details