Method for producing 1,6-hexanediol

US6407294B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• BASF SE

Inventors

• Boris Breitscheidel · Fulda, DE
• Rolf Pinkos · Bad Dürkheim, DE
• Frank Stein · Bad Dürkheim, DE
• Shelue Liang · Ludwigshafen, DE
• Rolf Fischer · Heidelberg, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 20, 2000
• Grant date: Jun 18, 2002
• Expiry date: Apr 20, 2020

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C07C2601/08
• WIPO field: Organic fine chemistry
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A process for producing 1,6-hexanediol by hydrogenation of adipic esters and/or 6-hydroxycaproic esters in the gas phase at elevated temperature and elevated pressure in the presence of chromium-free catalysts comprises hydrogenatinga) over a catalyst comprising copper, manganese and aluminum as essential constituents or over Raney copper,b) at a temperature of from 150 to 230° C. and a pressure of from 10 to 70 bar,c) at a molar ratio of hydrogen to ester to be hydrogenated within the range from 150:1 to 300:1, andd) at a catalyst space velocity of from 0.01 to 0.3 kg of C6 ester per liter of catalyst per hour.