Claims
- 1. A process for preparing a mixture of 1,4-butanediol and a 2-alkyl-1,4-butanediol, the process comprising bringing together, at an initial pH of 9-14, and a temperature and pressure suitable for reaction,
- (a) hydrogen,
- (b) a hydrogenation catalyst, and
- (c) 1,4-butynediol or 1,4-butenediol, and an aldehyde of the structure
- R--CHO
- where R is hydrogen or an alkyl radical of 1-4 carbon atoms,
- in a butynediol or butenediol/aldehyde weight ratio of 2/1 to 27/1.
- 2. A process for preparing a 2-alkyl-1,4-butanediol, the process comprising
- (a) bringing together, at an initial pH of 9-14, and a temperature and pressure suitable for reaction,
- (1) hydrogen,
- (2) a hydrogenation catalyst, and
- (3) 1,4-butynediol or 1,4-butenediol and an aldehyde of the structure
- R--CHO
- where R is hydrogen or an alkyl radical or 1-4 carbon atoms,
- in a butynediol or butenediol/aldehyde weight ratio of 2/1 to 200/1, and then
- (b) separating the resulting 2-alkylbutanediol product from the reaction mass.
- 3. The process of claim 1 in which the aldehyde is formaldehyde.
- 4. The process of claim 2 in which the aldehyde is formaldehyde.
- 5. The process of claim 1 run at a pH of 10-11.
- 6. The process of claim 2 run at a pH of 10-11.
- 7. The process of claim 1 wherein the butynediol or butenediol/aldehyde weight ratio is 2/1 to 25/1.
- 8. The process of claim 1 wherein the butynediol or butenediol/aldehyde weight ratio is 10/1 to 25/1.
- 9. The process of claim 3 wherein the pH is 10-11.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 502,317, filed June 8, 1983 now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (3)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
1242358 |
Aug 1971 |
GBX |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
502317 |
Jun 1983 |
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