Process for making organic products and improving the quality of non-product streams using phase transfer catalysis

A method for making an organic product comprising the step of contacting an aqueous solution providing an aqueous phase and having a low concentration of a chemical species comprising a nucleophile comprising phenolate and derivatives thereof with:

• (1) an organic phase consisting of an electrophile, wherein said electrophile is added in an amount to achieve an organic phase:aqueous phase ratio of 1:6 or less by weight;
• and (2) a phase transfer catalyst for transferring said nucleophile from said aqueous phase to said organic phase or to the aqueous-organic interface to enhance a reaction in said organic phase or in the aqueous-organic interface between said nucleophile and said electrophile to form said organic product.

A method for making an organic product comprising the step of contacting an aqueous solution providing an aqueous phase and having a low concentration of a chemical species comprising a nucleophile selected from the group consisting of cyanide, thiocyanate, cyanate, carboxylate, sulfonate, carbonate, nitrite, azide, iodide, and derivatives thereof with:

• (1) an organic solvent and an electrophile providing an organic phase in an amount to achieve an organic phase:aqueous phase ratio of 1:3 or less by weight;
• and (2) a phase transfer catalyst for transferring said nucleophile from said aqueous phase to said organic phase or to the aqueous-organic interface to enhance a reaction in said organic phase or in the aqueous-organic interface between said nucleophile and said electrophile to form said organic product.

A method for making an organic product comprising the step of contacting an aqueous solution providing an aqueous phase and having a low concentration of a chemical species comprising a nucleophile comprising phenolate and derivatives thereof with:

• (1) an organic solvent and an electrophile providing an organic phase in an amount to achieve an organic phase:aqueous phase ratio of 1:6 or less by weight;
• and (2) a phase transfer catalyst for transferring said nucleophile from said aqueous phase to said organic phase or to the aqueous-organic interface to enhance a reaction in said organic phase or in the aqueous-organic interface between said nucleophile and said electrophile to form said organic product.

A method for making an organic product comprising the step of contacting an aqueous solution providing an aqueous phase and having up to 10 weight percent of a chemical species which is capable of being ionized to produce a target anion with:

• (1) an organic phase consisting of an electrophile;
• (2) a phase transfer catalyst for transferring said target anion from said aqueous phase to said organic phase or to the aqueous-organic interface to enhance a reaction in said organic phase or in the aqueous-organic interface between said target anion and said electrophile to form said organic product;
• and (3) a pH adjusting agent in an amount sufficient to raise the pH to a level sufficient to ionize said chemical species and to provide an excess molar concentration of base in the range between −0.99 and 1.0.

A method for continuously converting a chemical species in an aqueous non-product stream to a product comprising the steps of:

• contacting said aqueous non-product stream, which has a low concentration of said chemical species which comprises a nucleophile with an organic phase consisting of an electrophile, and a phase transfer catalyst for transferring said nucleophile from said aqueous phase to said organic phase or to the aqueous-organic interface to enhance a reaction in said organic phase or in the aqueous-organic interface between said nucleophile and said electrophile to form said organic product;
• and
• separating said aqueous phase from said organic phase.

A method for improving the quality of an aqueous non-product stream having a contaminant comprising a nucleophile, the method comprising the steps of:

• contacting the aqueous non-product stream with an organic solvent and an electrophile providing an organic phase, and a phase transfer catalyst for transferring said nucleophile from said aqueous phase to said organic phase or to the aqueous-organic interface to enhance a reaction in said organic phase or in the aqueous-organic interface between said nucleophile and said electrophile to form said organic product;
• and
• separating said aqueous phase from said organic phase to provide an aqueous stream having a reduced concentration of the contaminant.

A method for making an organic product comprising the step of contacting an aqueous solution providing an aqueous phase and having up to 10 weight percent of a chemical species which is capable of being ionized to produce a target anion with:

• (1) an organic solvent and an electrophile providing an organic phase, wherein said organic solvent is added in an amount to achieve an organic phase:aqueous phase ratio of 1:3 or less by weight;
• (2) a phase transfer catalyst for transferring said target anion from said aqueous phase to said organic phase or to the aqueous-organic interface to enhance a reaction in said organic phase or in the aqueous-organic interface between said target anion and said electrophile to form the organic product;
• and (3) a pH adjusting agent in an amount sufficient to raise the pH to a level sufficient to ionize said chemical species and to provide an excess molar concentration of base in the range between −0.99 and 1.0.

A method for making a product comprising the step of contacting a non-product stream consisting of an organic solution providing an organic phase and having chemical species comprising an electrophile with:

• (1) water and a nucleophile providing an aqueous phase;
• and (2) a phase transfer catalyst for transferring said nucleophile from said aqueous phase to said organic phase or to the aqueous-organic interface to enhance a reaction in said organic phase or in the aqueous-organic interface between said nucleophile and said electrophile to form the product.

A method for improving the quality of an organic non-product stream having a contaminant comprising an electrophile, the method comprising the steps of:

• contacting the organic non-product stream with water and a nucleophile providing an aqueous phase, and a phase transfer catalyst for transferring said nucleophile from said aqueous phase to said organic phase or to the aqueous-organic interface to enhance a reaction in said organic phase or in the aqueous-organic interface between said nucleophile and said electrophile to form the product;
• and
• separating said aqueous phase and the product from said organic phase to provide an organic stream having a reduced concentration of the contaminant.