Claims
- 1. In a process for the preparation of oxirane compounds which comprises the deacyloxylation of vicinal hydroxyesters derived from oxygen, an olefin, and a carboxylic acid, wherein the olefin is ethylene, propylene, a butylene, a pentene, styrene, or alphamethylstyrene, and the carboxylic acid is acetic, propionic, or butyric, the improvement which comprises performing said deacyloxylation reaction in the vapor phase at a temperature of from 250 to 600.degree. C in the presence of a basic material having a pH of from 8 to 13 in a 0.1 molar aqueous solution.
- 2. The process of claim 1 wherein the basic material is an alkaline carboxylate.
- 3. The process of claim 1 wherein the basic material is sodium silicate or sodium aluminate.
- 4. The process of claim 1 wherein the deacyloxylation is carried out at a partial pressure of from 1 to 15 psi of the hydroxyester compound.
- 5. A process for the preparation of oxiranes which comprises reacting an olefin with oxygen and a carboxylic acid to form a vicinal hydroxyester, wherein the olefin is ethylene, propylene, a butylene, a pentene, styrene, or alpha-methylstyrene, and the carboxylic acid is acetic, propionic, or butyric; deacyloxylating said hydroxyester in the vapor phase at a temperature of from 250.degree. to 600.degree. C in the presence of a basic material having a pH of from 8 to 13 in a 0.1 molar aqueous solution, thereby forming said oxirane and a carboxylic acid; and recycling the carboxylic acid thus formed to the first reaction step.
- 6. The process of claim 5 wherein said carboxylic acid is acetic acid.
- 7. The process of claim 5 wherein said basic material is an alkaline carboxylate.
- 8. In a process for the preparation of oxirane compounds which comprises the deacyloxylation of vicinal hydroxyester compounds derived from oxygen, an olefin, and a carboxylic acid, wherein the olefin is ethylene, propylene, a butylene, a pentene, styrene, or alphamethylstyrene, and the carboxylic acid is acetic, propionic, or butyric, the improvement which comprises performing said deacyloxylation reaction in the vapor phase at a temperature of from 250.degree. to 600.degree. C in the presence of a basic material, said basic material being an alkali or alkaline earth metal of a borate, phosphate, oxide, or carbonate.
- 9. The process of claim 8 wherein the basic material is a compound of sodium, potassium, lithium, calcium, or barium.
- 10. A process for the preparation of oxiranes which comprises reacting an olefin with oxygen and a carboxylic acid to form a vicinal hydroxyester, wherein the olefin is ethylene, propylene, a butylene, a pentene, styrene, or alpha-methylstyrene, and the carboxylic acid is acetic, propionic, or butyric; deacyloxylating said hydroxyester in the vapor phase at a temperature of from 250.degree. to 600.degree. C in the presence of a basic material, said basic material being an alkali or alkaline earth metal of a borate, phosphate, oxide, or carbonate, thereby forming said oxirane and a carboxylic acid; and recycling the carboxylic acid thus formed to the first reaction step.
- 11. The process of claim 10 wherein the basic material is a compound of sodium, potassium, lithium, calcium, or barium.
- 12. In a process for the preparation of oxirane compounds which comprises the deacyloxylation of vicinal hydroxyester compounds derived from oxygen, an olefin, a carboxylic acid, wherein the olefin is ethylene, propylene, a butylene, a pentene, styrene, or alphamethylstyrene, and the carboxylic acid is acetic, propionic, or butyric, the improvement which comprises performing said deacyloxylation reaction in the vapor phase at a temperature of from 250.degree. to 600.degree. C in the presence of an alkaline carboxylate, wherein the carboxylate corresponds to the carboxylic acid co-product.
- 13. The process of claim 12 wherein the alkaline carboxylate is formed in situ.
- 14. The process of claim 12 wherein the olefin is ethylene and the carboxylic acid is acetic.
- 15. The process of claim 12 wherein the olefin is propylene and the carboxylic acid is acetic.
- 16. The process of claim 12 wherein the olefin is a butylene and the carboxylic acid is acetic.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 444,836, filed Feb. 22, 1974 and now abandoned which, in turn, is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 348,970, filed Apr. 9, 1973 and now abandoned.
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
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Parent |
444836 |
Feb 1974 |
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Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
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348970 |
Apr 1973 |
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