Preparation of diacetals of glyoxal

US6713656B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• BASF SE

Inventors

• Gunnar Heydrich · Schifferstadt, DE
• Nicola Christiane Aust · Mendig, DE
• Hermann Putter · Neustadt, DE
• Andreas Fischer · Castro Valley, US
• Jörg Botzem · Schifferstadt, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 3, 2002
• Grant date: Mar 30, 2004
• Expiry date: Oct 3, 2022

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C07C47/198
• WIPO field: Organic fine chemistry
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A process is described for preparing diacetals of glyoxal by reacting from 40 to 75% by weight aqueous glyoxal with monohydric alcohols in the presence of an acid catalyst, which comprises leaving a liquid mixture which, at the beginning of the reaction, comprises alcohol and glyoxal in a molar ratio of at least 15:1 and also water in a concentration of not more than 8% by weight in contact with the acid catalyst until concentration in the reaction mixture of the diacetal formed reaches at least 70% of the equilibrium concentration without more than 5% by weight of the alcohol used having already been distilled off.