Claims
- 1. A process for producing carboxylic acid anhydrides by reacting, in the 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 consisting essentially of a rhodium 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.
- 2. The process of claim 1, wherein the proton donor is water or a Bronsted acid.
- 3. The process of claim 2, 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 R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are methyl.
- 6. The process of claim 4, wherein the Bronsted acid is acetic acid and the iodide promoter is hydroiodic acid.
- 7. The process of claim 4, wherein the proton donor and iodide promoter are hydroiodic acid.
- 8. The process of claim 4, wherein the rhodium compound is a rhodium halide or a rhodium carbonyl halide.
- 9. The process of claim 2, wherein the proton donor is an alkanoic acid of 1 to 6 carbon atoms.
- 10. The process of claim 1, wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are alkyl.
- 11. The process of claim 10, wherein the ester reactant is generated in situ from a dialkyl ether reactant.
- 12. The process of claim 11, wherein both alkyl groups of the dialkyl ether are the same linear alkyl group of 1 to 4 carbon atoms.
- 13. The process of claim 11, wherein the dialkyl ether is dimethyl ether.
- 14. The process of claim 11, wherein the Bronsted acid is acetic acid and the iodide promoter is hydroiodic acid.
- 15. The process of claim 11, wherein the rhodium compound is a rhodium halide or a rhodium carbonyl halide.
- 16. The process of claim 1, wherein the reaction is carried out at a temperature of about 150.degree. to 250.degree. C.
- 17. The 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 consisting essentially of a rhodium 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.
- 18. A process for producing carboxylic acid anhydrides by reacting, in the 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 rhodium 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.
- 19. 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 rhodium 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. 400,817, filed July 22, 1982, now abandoned, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 890,560, filed Mar. 20, 1978, now abandoned, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 575,309, filed May 7, 1975, now abandoned, which is a division of application Ser. No. 398,732, filed Sept. 19, 1973, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,927,078, which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 282,623, filed Aug. 21, 1972, now abandoned, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
US Referenced Citations (10)
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry |
Falbe, CO in Organic Synthesis, 1970, pp. 113-117. |
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
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Parent |
398732 |
Sep 1973 |
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Continuations (3)
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Date |
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400817 |
Jul 1982 |
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Parent |
890560 |
Mar 1978 |
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Parent |
575309 |
May 1975 |
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Continuation in Parts (1)
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282623 |
Aug 1972 |
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