Preparation of aromatic isocyanates

Claim 2

A NOBLE METAL COMPOUND OF IIA, AND

Claim 3

IN THE PROCESS FOR PREPARING AN AROMATIC ISOCYANATE BY REACTING AN AROMATIC NNITRO COMPOUND CONTAINING UP TO ABOUT 20 CARBON ATOMS WITH CARBON MONOXIDE AT AN ELEVATED TEMPERATURE AND AN ELEVATED PRESSURE, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES CARRYING OUT THE REACTION IN THE PRESENCE OF A MIXTURE OF I. A HYDROXYL-SUBSTITUTED HYDROCARBON SELECTED FROM THE GROUPS CONSISTING OF A. ALIPHATIC ALCOHOLS CONTAINING FROM 1 TO 12 CARBON ATOMS B. PHENOLS CONTAINING FROM 6 TO 10 CARBON ATOMS IN THE RING C. ALKYL-SUBSTITUTED PHENOLS CONTAINING FROM 7 TO 14 CARBON ATOMS AND D. ALIPHATIC DIOLS CONTAINING FROM 1 TO 4 CARBON ATOMS, II. A CATALYST SYSTEM SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF A. A NOBLE METAL COMPOUND SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF NOBLE METAL IS SELECTED FROM THE GROUP WHEREIN THE NOBLE METAL IS SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF PALLADIUM, RHODIUM, IRIDIUM, RUTHENIUM OR MIXTURES THEREOF, B. A MIXTURE OF

Claim 4

IN THE PROCESS FOR PREPARING AN AROMATIC ISOCYANATE BY REACTING AN AROMATIC NNITRO COMPOUND CONTAINING UP TO ABOUT 20 CARBON ATOMS WITH CARBON MONOXIDE AT AN ELEVATED TEMPERATURE AND AN ELEVATED PRESSURE, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES CARRYING OUT THE REACTION IN THE PRESENCE OF A MIXTURE OF I. A HYDROXYL-SUBSTITUTED HYDROCARBON SELECTED FROM THE GROUPS CONSISTING OF A. ALIPHATIC ALCOHOLS CONTAINING FROM 1 TO 12 CARBON ATOMS B. PHENOLS CONTAINING FROM 6 TO 10 CARBON ATOMS IN THE RING C. ALKYL-SUBSTITUTED PHENOLS CONTAINING FROM 7 TO 14 CARBON ATOMS AND D. ALIPHATIC DIOLS CONTAINING FROM 1 TO 4 CARBON ATOMS, II. A CATALYST SYSTEM SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF A. A NOBLE METAL COMPOUND SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF NOBLE METAL IS SELECTED FROM THE GROUP WHEREIN THE NOBLE METAL IS SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF PALLADIUM, RHODIUM, IRIDIUM, RUTHENIUM OR MIXTURES THEREOF, B. A MIXTURE OF

Claim 5

A NOBLE METAL COMPOUND OF IIA AND

Claim 6

A NOBLE METAL COMPOUND OF IIA AND

Claim 7

A HETEROAROMATIC NNITROGEN COMPOUND HAVING A RING CONTAINING A. 5 OR 6 MEMBERS IN THE RING, B. ONLY NITROGEN AND CARBON IN THE RING, C. ON MORE THAN 2 NITROGEN ATOMS IN THE RING, AND D. AT LEAST 2 DOUBLE BONDS IN THE RING, C. A COMPLEX OF A NOBLE METAL COMPOUND OF IIA WITH A HETEROAROMATIC NITROGEN COMPOUND OF IIB(2) AND D. A MIXTURE OF

Claim 8

A HETEROAROMATIC NNITROGEN COMPOUND HAVING A RING CONTAINING A. 5 OR 6 MEMBERS IN THE RING, B. ONLY NITROGEN AND CARBON IN THE RING, C. ON MORE THAN 2 NITROGEN ATOMS IN THE RING, AND D. AT LEAST 2 DOUBLE BONDS IN THE RING, C. A COMPLEX OF A NOBLE METAL COMPOUND OF IIA WITH A HETEROAROMATIC NITROGEN COMPOUND OF IIB(2) AND D. A MIXTURE OF

Claim 9

AN OXIDE OF AN ELEMENT SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF A. MOLYBDENUM, B. VANADIUM, C. CHROMIUM AND D. IRON, III. WHEREIN THE PROPORTION OF SAID HYDROXYL SUBSTITUTED HYDROCARBON IS BETWEEN ABOUT 0.001 AND ABOUT 20 MOLE EQUIVALENTS PER MOLE OF SAID AROMATIC NITRO COMPOUND.

Claim 10

AN OXIDE OF AN ELEMENT SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF A. MOLYBDENUM, B. VANADIUM, C. CHROMIUM AND D. IRON, III. WHEREIN THE PROPORTION OF SAID HYDROXYL SUBSTITUTED HYDROCARBON IS BETWEEN ABOUT 0.001 AND ABOUT 20 MOLE EQUIVALENTS PER MOLE OF SAID AROMATIC NITRO COMPOUND.

Claim 11

a heteroaromatic nitrogen compound having a ring containing a. 5 or 6 members in the ring, b. only nitrogen and carbon in the ring, c. no more than 2 nitrogen atoms in the ring, and d. at least 2 double bonds in the ring, c. a complex of a noble metal compound of IIa with a heteroaromatic nitrogen compound of IIb(2) and d. a mixture of

Claim 12

a heteroaromatic nitrogen compound having a ring containing a. 5 or 6 members in the ring, b. only nitrogen and carbon in the ring, c. no more than 2 nitrogen atoms in the ring, and d. at least 2 double bonds in the ring, c. a complex of a noble metal compound of IIa with a heteroaromatic nitrogen compound of IIb(2) and d. a mixture of

Claim 13

an oxide of an element selected from the group consisting of a. molybdenum, b. vanadium, c. chromium and d. iron, III. wherein the proportion of said hydroxyl substituted hydrocarbon is between about 0.001 and about 20 mole equivalents per mole of said aromatic nitro compound.

Claim 14

an oxide of an element selected from the group consisting of a. molybdenum, b. vanadium, c. chromium and d. iron, III. wherein the proportion of said hydroxyl substituted hydrocarbon is between about 0.001 and about 20 mole equivalents per mole of said aromatic nitro compound.

Claim 15

The process of claim 1 wherein the proportion of said hydroxyl substituted hydrocarbon is between about 0.005 and about 10 mole equivalents per mole of said aromatic nitro compound.

Claim 16

The process of claim 1 wherein the proportion of said catalyst system is between about 0.001 and about 500 weight percent of said aromatic nitro compound.

Claim 17

The process of claim 1 wherein the proportion of said catalyst system is between about 1 and about 100 weight percent of said aromatic nitro compound.

Claim 18

The process of claim 1 wherein said aromatic nitro compound is selected from the group consisting of nitrobenzene, dinitrotoluene and isocyanato-nitrotoluene.

Claim 19

The process of claim 5 wherein said noble metal compound is selected from the group consisting of palladous chloride, rhodium trichloride, iridium trichloride, rhenium trichloride, platinium tetrachloride and mixtures thereof.

Claim 20

The process of claim 6 wherein said oxide of an element is selected from the group consisting of chromic oxide, chromium dioxide, chromic anhydride, chromous oxide, molybdenum sesquioxide, molybdenum dioxide, molybdenum trioxide, ferrous oxide, ferric oxide and vanadium pentoxide.

Claim 21

The process of claim 6 wherein said heteroaromatic nitrogen compound is selected from the group consisting of pyridine, isoquinoline, quinoline and mixtures thereof.

Claim 22

The process of claim 6 wherein said hydroxyl substituted hydrocarbon is selected from the group consisting of phenol and ethylene glycol.

Claim 23

The process of claim 6 wherein said hydroxyl substituted hydrocarbon is phenol and said catalyst system is a mixture of palladous chloride and vanadium pentoxide.

Claim 24

The process of claim 6 wherein said hydroxyl substituted hydrocarbon is phenol and said catalyst system is palladous chloride pyridine complex.

Claim 25

The process of claim 6 wherein said hydroxyl substituted hydrocarbon is phenol and said catalyst system is palladous chloride isoquinoline complex.

Claim 26

The process of claim 6 wherein said hydroxyl substituted hydrocarbon is phenol and said catalyst system is palladous chloride.

Claim 27

The process of claim 6 wherein said catalyst system is selected from the group consisting of I. a mixture of a. a noble metal compound and b. a heteroaromatic nitrogen compound and II. a complex of a. a noble metal compound and b. a heteroaromatic nitrogen compound, III. wherein said noble metal compound is selected from the group consisting of a. palladous chloride, b. rhodium trichloride, c. iridium trichloride, d. rhenium trichloride, e. platinum tetrachloride and f. mixtures thereof and IV. wherein said heteroaromatic nitrogen compound is selected from the group consisting of a. pyridine, b. isoquinoline, c. quinoline and d. mixtures thereof.

Claim 28

The process of claim 9 wherein the proportion of said catalyst system is between about 1 and about 100 weight percent of said aromatic nitro compound.

Claim 29

The process of claim 15 wherein the proportion of said hydroxyl substituted hydrocarbon is between about 0.005 and about 10 mole equivalents per mole of said aromatic nitro compound.

Claim 30

The process of claim 16 wherein said elevated pressure is in the range between about 30 and about 30,000 psig, said elevated temperature is in the range between about 100*C. and about 250*C., and the proportion of carbon monoxide is in the range between about 3 and about 50 moles of carbon monoxide per nitro group in said aromatic nitro compound.

Claim 31

The process of claim 17 wherein said elevated pressure is in the range between about 100*C. and 150*C. and the proportion of carbon monoxide is in the range between about 8 and about 15 moles of carbon monoxide per nitro group in said aromatic nitro compound.

Claim 32

The process of claim 18 wherein said catalyst system is selected from the group consisting of I. a mixture of a. a noble metal compound and b. a heteroaromatic nitrogen compound and II. a complex of a. a noble metal compound and b. a heteroaromatic nitrogen compound, III. wherein said noble metal compound is selected from the group consisting of a. palladous chloride, b. rhodium trichloride, c. iridium trichloride, d. rhenium trichloride, e. platinum tetrachloride and f. mixtures thereof and IV. wherein said heteroaromatic nitrogen compound is selected from the group consisting of a. pyridine, b. isoquinoline, c. quinoline and d. mixtures thereof and V. the molar ratio of said heteroaromatic nitrogen compound to the anion of said noble metal compound is from 0.1:1 to about 10:1.