Process for making ethyencially unsaturated acids and acids
OwnerLeo Ernest Manzerinventor
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Abstract
The present invention relates to production of ethylenically unsaturated acids and ethylenically unsaturated esters by the catalytic reaction of an alkanoic acid or an alkanoic ester, with formaldehyde, in presence of a basic catalyst and optionally in the presence of an alcohol. More specifically, this invention relates to production of methyl methacrylate, an ester, by reaction of methyl propionate with formaldehyde, in presence of a basic catalyst, for example, cesium acetate on silica. This invention discloses a process for obtaining a high conversion of ethylenically unsaturated acids and esters.
Claims15
A process for preparing ethylenically unsaturated acids, the process comprising contacting an alkanoic acid of the formula R′—CH2—COOR, with formaldehyde in the presence of a heterogeneous basic catalyst, and optionally in the presence of an alcohol;
- wherein R and R′ are each, independently, hydrogen or an alkyl group with 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and wherein the catalyst concentration is from 12% to 20% by weight of the reactants.
A process for preparing ethylenically unsaturated esters, the process comprising contacting an ester of an alkanoic acid of the formula R′—CH2—COOR, with formaldehyde in the presence of a heterogeneous basic catalyst, and optionally in the presence of an alcohol;
- wherein R and R′ are each, independently, hydrogen or an alkyl group with 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and wherein the catalyst concentration is from 12% to about 20% by weight of the reactants.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.