Method for producing polyalcohols

US6187971A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• BASF SE

Inventors

• Detlef Kratz · Heidelberg, DE
• Achim Stammer · Freinsheim, DE
• Gerhard Schulz · Ludwigshafen, DE
• Guido Voit · Freinsheim, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 21, 1999
• Grant date: Feb 13, 2001
• Expiry date: Jun 21, 2019

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02P20/582
• WIPO field: Organic fine chemistry
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

Methylolalkanal of the formula II ##STR1## (R=CH.sub.2 OH, C.sub.1 -C.sub.22 -alkyl, aryl or C.sub.6 -C.sub.22 -aralkyl) is prepared spe-wise by PA1 a) reacting a C.sub.2 -C.sub.24 -aldehyde with formaldehyde in the presence of a tertiary amine, PA1 b) separating the reaction mixture PA2 i) into a bottom fraction comprising the compound of formula II and an incompletely methylolated compound of the formula III ##STR2## PA3 and a distillate stream comprising unconverted or partially converted starting materials, or PA2 ii) into an aqueous phase and an organic phase, and recycling the distillate stream or the organic phase to a), and PA1 c) subjecting the bottom fraction or the aqueous phase PA2 i) to a catalytic or thermal reaction to convert the compound of formula III to the compound of formula II and to a corresponding methylene compound of formula IV ##STR3## PA3 (R'=H or R) and PA2 ii) separating the reaction product into an overhead stream comprising the compound of formula IV and unconverted formaldehyde which is recycled to a), and a bottom fraction comprising the compound of formula II.