Process for the prepartion of 3-hydroxyalkanals

US5284979A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Degussa AG · DE

Inventors

• Thomas Haas · Munster, DE
• Georg Bohme · Rodenbach, DE
• Dietrich Arntz · Oberursel, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 24, 1992
• Grant date: Feb 8, 1994
• Expiry date: Nov 24, 2012

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C07C45/64
• WIPO field: Organic fine chemistry
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A process is disclosed for the preparation of 3-hydroxyalkanals having 3 to 12 carbon atoms, in particular 3 or 4 carbon atoms, by hydration of the underlying 2-alkenals with water in a homogeneous phase in the presence of an acid catalyst. The previously known hydration using mineral acids or carboxylic acids as catalyst results in low volume/time yields and/or low selectivities. These disadvantages can be avoided by using in the present invention, as catalyst, a dissolved acid-base buffer which results in a pH of from 2 to 5 in the reaction mixture; the acid component and corresponding base of which are present in a total quantity of from 0.5 to 40% by weight in the reaction mixture. The preferred buffers composed of a lower monobasic carboxylic acid and a tertiary amine can easily be recycled.