Claims
- 1. A process for preparing 2,2'-oxydisuccinic acid comprising:
- i dissolving
- a) maleic anhydride, maleic acid or mixtures of these; and
- b) malic acid selected from the group including d-malic acid, l-malic acid and mixtures of these, in
- c) water, in a ratio of 1.2 to 5.0 moles of maleic species to 1.0 moles of malic species to form an acid solution or mixture;
- ii mixing the acid solution or mixture with a slurry of alkaline earth metal hydroxide, to form a second mixture, said slurry containing a stoichiometric amount of alkaline earth metal hydroxide to neutralize said acid plus about 10% in excess of said amount but in any case sufficient to maintain the pH of said mixture at about 11.0 to 12.3 when measured at 25.degree. C. and 20% solids, said slurry containing sufficient water so that said second mixture contains at least about 55% by weight water;
- iii after forming said second mixture, maintaining the temperature of said second mixture at about 60.degree. C. to 95.degree. C. for about 2 to 8 hours, optionally employing an inert atmosphere.
- 2. A process as defined in claim 1 wherein the reaction is extended for a period of about 24 hours at a temperature of less than 60.degree. C.
- 3. A process as defined in claim 1 wherein the alkaline earth metal hydroxide is calcium hydroxide.
- 4. A process as defined in claim 1 wherein the mole ratio of said a) to said b) is 1.2 to 1.
- 5. A process as defined in claim 1 wherein the 2,2'-oxydisuccinic acid is recovered from the reaction mixture.
- 6. A method for purifying the product obtained from claim 1 by contacting the reaction mixture from step ii with a mixed methanol/water solvent after reducing the calcium content of the product.
- 7. A process as defined in claim 1 wherein the concentration of maleic and malic species at the beginning of the reaction as the calcium salt is about 5% to 45%.
- 8. A process as defined in claim 1 wherein the concentration of maleic and malic species at the beginning of the reaction as the calcium salt is about 30% to 40%.
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation-in-part application of Gutierrez et al. Ser. No. 07/996,334, filed Dec. 23, 1992, now abandoned, which was a continuation-in-part application of Gutierrez et al. Ser. No. 07/446,906, filed Dec. 6, 1989, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
5001245 |
Nakairo et al. |
Mar 1991 |
|
5171886 |
Schultz |
Dec 1992 |
|
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
486452 |
May 1992 |
EPX |
Continuation in Parts (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
996334 |
Dec 1992 |
|
Parent |
446906 |
Dec 1989 |
|