Method for the hydrogenation of maleic anhydride and related compounds in two serial reaction zones

US6831182B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• BASF SE

Inventors

• Holger Borchert · Offstein, DE
• Stephan Schlitter · Schifferstadt, DE
• Rolf Fischer · Heidelberg, DE
• Markus Rösch · Oppenheim, DE
• Frank Stein · Bad Dürkheim, DE
• Ralf-Thomas Rahn · Mannheim, DE
• Alexander Weck · Freinsheim, DE
• Gerd Kaibel · Lampertheim, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 4, 2003
• Grant date: Dec 14, 2004
• Expiry date: Jun 4, 2023

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C07D307/08
• WIPO field: Organic fine chemistry
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for the gas-phase hydrogenation of C4-dicarboxylic acids and/or their derivatives over a catalyst based on copper oxide to give substituted or unsubstituted &ggr;-butyrolactone and/or tetrahydrofuran, which comprises, which a first reaction zone in which the C4-dicarboxylic acid and/or its derivatives is/are reacted to give a mixture comprising a substituted or unsubstituted &ggr;-butyrolactone as main product and a subsequent second reaction zone in which the substituted or unsubstituted &ggr;-butyrolactone present in the mixture from the first hydrogenation step is reacted at a temperature lower than the temperature in the first hydrogenation step to give substituted or unsubstituted tetrahydrofuran.