Process for the production of carboxylic acid esters and/or carboxylic acids

US4681707A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• The British Petroleum Company p.l.c. · GB

Inventors

• Howard Alper · Ottawa, CA
• Bertrand Despeyroux · Hanau, DE
• David J. Smith · Shoreview, US
• James B. Woell · Lawrenceville, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 23, 1984
• Grant date: Jul 21, 1987
• Expiry date: Apr 23, 2004

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C07C51/14
• WIPO field: Organic fine chemistry
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

Carboxylic acid esters are produced by reacting an unsaturated hydrocarbon, for example an olefin or an alkyne, with carbon monoxide and an alcohol in the presence of a protonic acid and as catalyst (a) at least one of the metals palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, iridium and cobalt, and (b) copper. In a modification of the invention carboxylic acids are produced by omitting the alcohol reactant and replacing it with water in an amount up to 8 mole equivalents based on the unsaturated hydrocarbon and a solvent other than an alochol, for example tetrahydrofuran.