Abstract Carboxylic acids are converted to the corresponding hydroxymethylsubstituted 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 useful 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.
IN A PROCESS FOR CONVERTING A FEEDSTOCK COMPRISING PREDOMINANTLY AT LEAST ONE MEMBER OF THE GROUP CONSISTING OF CARBOXYALKANES, DICARBOXYALKANES, HYDROXYCARBOXYALKANES, AND LACTONES OF HYDROCARBOXYALKANES HAVING AT LEAST FOUR CARBON ATOMS IN THE MOLECULE TO A CORRESPONDING HYDROXYMETHYL-SUBSTITUTED DERIVATIVE BY THE HYDROGENOLYSIS OF THE CARBOXY MOIETY OF SAID FEEDSTOCK IN THE PRESENT OF A RHENIUM BLACK CATALYST OR A CATALYST HAVING A CATALYTICALLY ACTIVE METALLIC COBALT SURFACE, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES: PREPARING AN ALKALI METAL SALT OF SAID FEEDSTOCK IN AQUEOUS SOLUTION; BUFFERING SAID SOLUTION OF SAID SALT TO A PH BETWEEN ABOUT 6.0 AND ABOUT 7.0; HYDROGENOLYZING SAID SALT IN SAID BUFFERED SOLUTION IN THE PRESENCE OF SAID CATALYST AT A TEMPERATURE OF 150*C TO 300*C AND AT A PRESSURE OF ABOUT 5 TO 500 ATMOSPHERES TO FORM A LIQUID REACTION PRODUCT COMPRISING SAID HYDROXYMETHYL-SUBSTITUTED COMPOUND; AND RECOVERING SAID HYDROXYMETHYL-SUBSTITUTED COMPOUND FROM SAID REACTION PRODUCT.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
146 words
IN A PROCESS FOR CONVERTING A FEEDSTOCK COMPRISING PREDOMINANTLY AT LEAST ONE MEMBER OF THE GROUP CONSISTING OF CARBOXYALKANES, DICARBOXYALKANES, HYDROXYCARBOXYALKANES, AND LACTONES OF HYDROCARBOXYALKANES HAVING AT LEAST FOUR CARBON ATOMS IN THE MOLECULE TO A CORRESPONDING HYDROXYMETHYL-SUBSTITUTED DERIVATIVE BY THE HYDROGENOLYSIS OF THE CARBOXY MOIETY OF SAID FEEDSTOCK IN THE PRESENT OF A RHENIUM BLACK CATALYST OR A CATALYST HAVING A CATALYTICALLY ACTIVE METALLIC COBALT SURFACE, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES: PREPARING AN ALKALI METAL SALT OF SAID FEEDSTOCK IN AQUEOUS SOLUTION; BUFFERING SAID SOLUTION OF SAID SALT TO A PH BETWEEN ABOUT 6.0 AND ABOUT 7.0; HYDROGENOLYZING SAID SALT IN SAID BUFFERED SOLUTION IN THE PRESENCE OF SAID CATALYST AT A TEMPERATURE OF 150*C TO 300*C AND AT A PRESSURE OF ABOUT 5 TO 500 ATMOSPHERES TO FORM A LIQUID REACTION PRODUCT COMPRISING SAID HYDROXYMETHYL-SUBSTITUTED COMPOUND; AND RECOVERING SAID HYDROXYMETHYL-SUBSTITUTED COMPOUND FROM SAID REACTION PRODUCT.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the buffering system employed is an alkali metal bicarbonate system or an alkali metal acid phosphate system.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process of claim 2 wherein the catalyst employed in said hydrogenolysis step comprises metallic cobalt.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 3 wherein said salt solution is buffered with carbon dioxide and the bicarbonate of said alkali metal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
11 words
The process of claim 4 wherein said alkali metal is potassium.