Production of 3,3- and 2,3-dimethylbutenes, 2,3-dimethylbutadiene and/or glycol or polyglycol N-alkyl-3,3- and -2,3-dimethylbutyl ether

Claim 2

In the dehydrochlorination of at least one of 1-chloro-3,3-dimethylbutane, 2-chloro-2,3-dimethylbutane, 1-chloro-2,3-dimethylbutane and dichloro-2,3-dimethylbutane, in an organic solvent wherein an alkali metal hydroxide is reacted with resultant hydrogen chloride to form an alkali metal chloride and water, the improvement comprising conducting said dehydrochlorination in the presence of a glycol and/or polyglycol ether of the Formula 1 and/or 2 as the solvent: ##STR3## or 2,3-dimethylbutyl, so as to form a reaction mixture comprising an aqueous phase containing the alkali metal chloride and an organic phase essentially free of the alkali metal chloride, whereby the alkali metal chloride is easily removed from the reaction mixture.

Claim 3

A process according to claim 1, conducted at 100°-250° C.

Claim 4

In a process for the dehydrochlorination of a chlorinated hydrocarbon to form at least one double bond in said hydrocarbon, in an organic solvent wherein an alkali metal hydroxide is reacted with resultant hydrogen chloride to form an alkali metal chloride and water, the improvement which comprises conducting said dehydrochlorination in the presence of a glycol and/or polyglycol ether of the Formula 1 and/or 2 as the solvent: ##STR4## or 2,3-dimethylbutyl, so as to form a reaction mixture comprising an aqueous phase containing the alkali metal chloride and an organic phase essentially free of the alkali metal chloride, whereby the alkali metal chloride is easily removed from the reaction mixture.

Claim 5

In a process for the dehydrochlorination of a chlorinated hydrocarbon to form at least one double bond in said hydrocarbon, in an organic solvent wherein an alkali metal hydroxide is reacted with resultant hydrogen chloride to form an alkali metal chloride and water, the improvement which comprises conducting said dehydrochlorination in the presence of a glycol and/or polyglycol ether of the Formula 1 and/or 2 as the solvent: ##STR4## or 2,3-dimethylbutyl, so as to form a reaction mixture comprising an aqueous phase containing the alkali metal chloride and an organic phase essentially free of the alkali metal chloride, whereby the alkali metal chloride is easily removed from the reaction mixture.

Claim 6

A process according to claim 3, conducted in the presence of an ether of Formula 1.

Claim 7

A process according to claim 3, wherein the chlorinated hydrocarbon is a chlorinated alkane.

Claim 8

A process according to claim 1, conducted in the presence of an ether of formula 2.

Claim 9

A process according to claim 3, conducted in the presence of an ether of formula 2.

Claim 10

A process according to claim 1, said dehydrochlorination being conducted in the presence of an alkali hydroxide which forms an alkali halide during the process, and further comprising washing the resultant product with water to remove said alkali chloride, and wherein said glycol and/or polyglycol ether is soluble in water to the extent of not more than 50 g/l at 20° C.

Claim 11

A process according to claim 8, wherein said glycol or polyglycol ether is soluble in water to the extent of not more than 0.5 g/l at 20° C.

Claim 12

A process according to claim 9, wherein during the dehydrochlorination, the reaction mixture is continuously distilled to remove water formed during the reaction.

Claim 13

In the dehydrochlorination of at least one of 1-chloro-3,3-dimethylbutane, 2-chloro-2,3-dimethylbutane, 1-chloro-2,3-dimethylbutane and dichloro-2,3-dimethylbutane in an organic solvent wherein an alkali metal hydroxide is reacted with resultant hydrogen chloride to form an alkali metal chloride and water, the improvement comprising conducting said dehydrochlorination in the presence of a glycol and/or polyglycol ether of Formula 1 as the solvent: ______________________________________ R.sub.1 (OCH.sub.2 CH.sub.2).sub.n OR.sub.2 (FORMULA 1) ______________________________________ n = 1,2,3 R.sub.1 = n-butyl n-hexyl n-octyl 2-ethylhexyl R.sub.2 = tert-butyl 3,3-dimethylbutyl ______________________________________ or 2,3-dimethylbutyl, so as to form a reaction mixture comprising an aqueous phase containing the alkali metal chloride and an organic phase essentially free of the alkali metal chloride, whereby the alkali metal chloride is easily removed from the reaction mixture.

Claim 14

In the dehydrochlorination of at least one of 1-chloro-3,3-dimethylbutane, 2-chloro-2,3-dimethylbutane, 1-chloro-2,3-dimethylbutane and dichloro-2,3-dimethylbutane in an organic solvent wherein an alkali metal hydroxide is reacted with resultant hydrogen chloride to form an alkali metal chloride and water, the improvement comprising conducting said dehydrochlorination in the presence of a glycol and/or polyglycol ether of Formula 1 as the solvent: ______________________________________ R.sub.1 (OCH.sub.2 CH.sub.2).sub.n OR.sub.2 (FORMULA 1) ______________________________________ n = 1,2,3 R.sub.1 = n-butyl n-hexyl n-octyl 2-ethylhexyl R.sub.2 = tert-butyl 3,3-dimethylbutyl ______________________________________ or 2,3-dimethylbutyl, so as to form a reaction mixture comprising an aqueous phase containing the alkali metal chloride and an organic phase essentially free of the alkali metal chloride, whereby the alkali metal chloride is easily removed from the reaction mixture.

Claim 15

A process according to claim 11, wherein R 1 is n-butyl.

Claim 16

A process according to claim 11, wherein R 2 is 3,3-dimethylbutyl or 2,3-dimethylbutyl.

Claim 17

A process according to claim 11, wherein the ether is glycol n-butyl-3,3-dimethylbutyl ether, glycol n-butyl-2,3-dimethylbutyl ether, diglycol n-butyl-3,3-dimethylbutyl ether, diglycol n-butyl-2,3-dimethylbutyl ether, diglycol n-butyl-tert-butyl ether, triglycol n-butyl-3,3-dimethylbutyl ether, or triglycol n-butyl 2,3-dimethylbutyl ether.

Claim 18

A process according to claim 6, wherein n=1.

Claim 19

A process according to claim 6, wherein n=2.

Claim 20

A process according to claim 6, wherein n=3.

Claim 21

A process according to claim 15, wherein R 1 is n-butyl.

Claim 22

A process according to claim 15, wherein R 1 is n-hexyl, n-octyl, or 2-ethylhexyl.

Claim 23

A process according to claim 6, wherein the ether is n-hexyl glycol, n-octyl glycol, 2-ethylhexyl glycol, n-hexyl diglycol, n-octyl diglycol, 2-ethylhexyl diglycol, n-butyl triglycol, n-hexyl triglycol, n-octyl triglycol, or 2-ethylhexyl triglycol.

Claim 24

A process according to claim 7, wherein n=1.

Claim 25

A process according to claim 7, wherein n=2.

Claim 26

A process according to claim 7, wherein n=3.

Claim 27

A process according to claim 20, wherein R 1 is n-butyl.

Claim 28

A process according to claim 20, wherein R 1 is n-hexyl, n-octyl, or 2-ethylhexyl.

Claim 29

A process according to claim 7, wherein the ether is n-hexyl glycol, n-octyl glycol, 2-ethylhexyl glycol, n-hexyl diglycol, n-octyl diglycol, 2-ethylhexyl diglycol, n-butyl triglycol, n-hexyl triglycol, n-octyl triglycol, or 2-ethylhexyl triglycol.