Method of producing .beta.-isophorone by the isomerization of .alpha.-isophorone

US5907065A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Degussa AG · DE

Inventors

• Steffen Krill · Mühltal, DE
• Gunes Giray · Kleinostheim, DE
• Frank Hubner · Ober-Ramstadt, DE
• Rainer Hahn · Tübingen, DE
• Klaus Huthmacher · Gelnhausen, DE
• Herbert Tanner

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 26, 1997
• Grant date: May 25, 1999
• Expiry date: Sep 26, 2017

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C07C45/82
• WIPO field: Organic fine chemistry
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A method of producing 3,5,5-trimethylcyclohexa-3-ene-1-one (.beta.-isophorone) by isomerization of 3,5,5-trimethylcyclohexa-2-ene-1-one (.alpha.-isophorone) in a liquid phase in the presence of a homogeneous or heterogeneous catalyst in which a mixture with a relatively low concentration of .beta.-isophorone is drawn off from the reaction container and the .beta.-isophorone isolated by vacuum distillation. .beta.-isophorone is an important synthetic structural element for the production of carotinoids, vitamins and pharmaceutical products.