Process for preparing acrylic esters and/or methacrylic esters of polyoxyalkylenes and the use thereof

US6268521A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• GOLDSCHMIDT HOLDING GMBH · DE

Inventors

• Burghard Gruning · Essen, DE
• Geoffrey Hills · Essen, DE
• Wolfgang Josten · Essen, DE
• Dietmar Schaefer · Hattingen, DE
• Stefan Silber · Krefeld, DE
• Christian Weitemeyer · Essen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 1, 1999
• Grant date: Jul 31, 2001
• Expiry date: Nov 1, 2019

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C12P7/62
• WIPO field: Biotechnology
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

The present invention provides a process for enzymatic preparation of acrylic esters and/or methacrylic esters of polyoxyalkylenes, and to the use thereof. The acryloyl and/or methacryloyl compounds of polyoxyalkylenes are obtainable by a process for esterifying or transesterifying acrylic and/or methacrylic acid or acrylic and/or methacrylic esters with a polyoxyalkylene of the general formula (I) ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3 and a-e are as defined in claim 1 and wherein at least one OH group is present per molecule and the sequence of the polyoxyalkylene segments (C.sub.2 H.sub.4-a R.sup.2.sub.a O).sub.b and (C.sub.c H.sub.2c O).sub.d is arbitrary, in the presence of an enzyme which catalyzes the esterification or transesterification.