Continuous preparation of acetic acid esters

US4370491A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• BASF SE

Inventors

• Kaspar Bott · Mannheim, DE
• Gerd Kaibel · Lampertheim, DE
• Herwig Hoffmann · Bischofswerda, DE
• Rudolf Irnich · Worms, DE
• Eberhard Schaefer · Ludwigshafen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: May 14, 1981
• Grant date: Jan 25, 1983
• Expiry date: May 14, 2001

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10S203/06
• WIPO field: Organic fine chemistry
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A process for the preparation of acetic acid esters CH.sub.3 --CO--O--R.sup.1 (I, R.sup.1 =an organic radical other than methyl and ethyl) by alkali-catalyzed trans-esterification of an acetic acid ester CH.sub.3 --CO--O--R.sup.2 (II, R.sup.2 =methyl or ethyl) with an alcohol R.sup.1 --OH (III), accompanied by elimination of the alcohol R.sup.2 --OH (IV), wherein PA1 (a) the trans-esterification reaction is carried out in the middle section K.sub.M of a distillation column K, the alcohol III being fed as liquid into the upper zone and the ester II into the lower zone of K.sub.M, PA1 (b) the alkaline catalyst is introduced into the upper part K.sub.U of K, PA1 (c) the alcohol IV, or a mixture of IV and the ester II, is taken off the top of the column, PA1 (d) the mixture obtained from (c) (unless the alcohol IV alone is obtained) is separated in the column section K.sub.U or in a stripper column K.sub.S into IV and the azeotrope of II and IV, and the latter is recycled to the lower zone of K.sub.M, PA1 (e) the ester I is taken as vapor or liquid from the lower zone of the lower section K.sub.L of K and PA1 (f) the catalyst is either removed, or recycled to K.sub.U, in a conventional…