Process for the production of carboxymethylated alchols, ether alcohols, thioalcohols, or alkyl phenols

US4625057A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Huels Aktiengesellschaft · DE

Inventors

• Hermann Springmann
• Kurt Kosswig · Marl, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 12, 1983
• Grant date: Nov 25, 1986
• Expiry date: Aug 12, 2003

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C07C319/12
• WIPO field: Organic fine chemistry
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A process for the production of carboxymethylates comprises reacting alcohols, ether alcohols, or alkyl phenols with an aqueous solution of at most a stoichiometric amount of free chloroacetic acid and twice the stoichiometric amount of an aqueous base. The chloroacetic acid and base are added separately, but simultaneously under agitation (at elevated temperature and under reduced pressure) to the alcohol or alkyl phenol. The water content in the reaction mixture, during the entire reaction, is maintained at 0.3-1.5% by weight. Increased selectivity results and it now becomes possible to use aqueous chloroacetic acid in this process.