Claims
- 1. A process for producing carboxylic acid anhydrides by reacting in fluid phase a carboxylic acid ester of the formula R.sup.2 CO.sub.2 R.sup.1, wherein R.sup.1 is alkyl of 1 to 10 carbon atoms and R.sup.2 is hydrogen, alkyl of 1 to 10 carbon atoms, phenyl, alkylphenyl of 7 to 10 carbon atoms or phenylalkyl of 7 to 10 carbon atoms, and carbon monoxide in the presence of catalytic amounts of a catalyst system comprising a palladium compound, an iodide promoter and a proton donor, at a temperature of from about 50.degree. C. to 300.degree. C. and at an initial pressure from about 1 atmosphere to about 100 atmospheres, under substantially anhydrous reaction conditions.
- 2. The process of claim 1 wherein the proton donor is water or a Bronsted acid.
- 3. The process of claim 1 wherein R.sup.1 is alkyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms.
- 4. The process of claim 3 wherein R.sup.2 is alkyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms or phenyl.
- 5. The process of claim 4 wherein the iodide promoter is hydroiodic acid.
- 6. The process of claim 1 wherein the metal compound is a palladium halide or palladium carbonyl halide.
- 7. The process of claim 1 wherein the proton donor is an alkanoic acid of 1 to 6 carbon atoms.
- 8. The process of claim 2 wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are alkyl.
- 9. The process of claim 8 wherein the ester reactant is generated in situ from a dialkyl ether reactant.
- 10. The process of claim 9 wherein both alkyl groups of the dialkyl ether are the same linear alkyl group of 1 to 4 carbon atoms.
- 11. The process of claim 9 wherein the dialkyl ether is dimethyl ether.
- 12. The process of claim 9 wherein the Bronsted acid is acetic acid and the promoter is hydroiodic acid.
- 13. The process of claim 1 wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are methyl.
- 14. A process for producing acetic anhydride by reacting, in the fluid phase, methyl acetate and carbon monoxide in the presence of catalytic amounts of a catalyst system comprising a palladium compound, an iodide promoter and a proton donor, at a temperature of from about 50.degree. C. to 300.degree. C. and an initial pressure of from about 1 atmosphere to about 100 atmospheres under substantially anhydrous reaction conditions.
RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 650,154, filed Feb. 4, 1991, abandoned which is a continuation of Ser. No. 428,816, filed Oct. 27, 1989 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,008,541, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 400,817, filed Jul. 22, 1982, abandoned, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 890,560, filed Mar. 20, 1978, abandoned, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 575,309, filed May 7, 1975, abandoned, which is a division of Ser. No. 398,732, filed Sep. 19, 1973, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,927,078, which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 282,632, filed Aug. 21, 1972, abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (10)
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry |
False, CO in Org. Synthesis 1970 pp. 113-117. |
Divisions (1)
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398732 |
Sep 1973 |
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Continuations (5)
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650154 |
Feb 1991 |
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428816 |
Oct 1989 |
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400817 |
Jul 1982 |
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890560 |
Mar 1978 |
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Parent |
575309 |
May 1975 |
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Continuation in Parts (1)
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282632 |
Aug 1972 |
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