Process for producing tetrahydrofuran and 1,4-butanediol

US4268447A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Japan Synthetic Rubber Corporation · JP

Inventors

• Yoshinori Yoshida · Yokohama, JP
• Hiroshi Oka · Kyoto, JP

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 12, 1979
• Grant date: May 19, 1981
• Expiry date: Dec 12, 1999

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C07D307/08
• WIPO field: Organic fine chemistry
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A process for producing simultaneously tetrahydrofuran and 1,4-butanediol in any desired proportion which comprises (a) reacting the acetic ester of 1,4-butanediol with a theoretical or smaller quantity, based on said acetic ester, of water (preferably 0.2-0.8 mole of water per mole of said acetic ester) in the presence of an acidic catalyst, (b) distilling, in the first distillation column, the reaction mixture to separate it into a distillate comprising tetrahydrofuran as major constituent and a bottom stream comprising as major constituent the acetic ester of 1,4-butanediol and (c) subjecting, in the second reaction-distillation column, at least a part of said bottom stream to a counter-current gas-liquid contact reaction with methanol, the quantity of said methanol being preferably 1-5 moles per mole of the acetate group of the acetic ester, in the presence of an acidic or basic catalyst and, simultaneously therewith, separating the reaction mixture into a bottom stream comprising 1,4-butanediol as major constituent and a distillate comprising methyl acetate as major constituent. By this process, methanol and catalyst can be economized to a great extent.