Electrochemical synthesis of aryl-alkyl surfacant precursor
AssigneeCeramatec, Inc.
InventorsSai Bhavaraju, Mukund Karanjikar
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Abstract
An aryl-alkyl (R—Ar) hydrocarbon is prepared by an electrosynthesis process in an electrolytic cell having an alkali ion conductive membrane positioned between an anolyte compartment configured with an anode and a catholyte compartment configured with a cathode. An anolyte solution containing an alkali metal salt of an alkyl carboxylic acid and an aryl compound is introduced into the anolyte compartment. The aryl compound may include an alkali metal salt of an aryl carboxylic acid, an arene (aromatic) hydrocarbon, or an aryl alkali metal adduct (Ar−M+). The anolyte solution undergoes electrolytic decarboxylation to form an alkyl radical. The alkyl radical reacts with the aryl compound to produce the aryl-alkyl hydrocarbon.
Claims20
A process for producing an aryl-alkyl (R—Ar) compound comprising:
- providing an electrolytic cell comprising an alkali ion conductive membrane positioned between an anolyte compartment configured with an anode and a catholyte compartment configured with a cathode, said alkali conductive membrane being configured to selectively transport alkali;
- introducing an anolyte solution into the anolyte compartment, wherein the anolyte solution comprises an alkali metal salt of an alkyl carboxylic acid (R—COOM) and an aryl compound in an anolyte solvent, wherein R is R is an alkyl hydrocarbon having a C8 to C24 hydrocarbon chain and M is an alkali metal selected from Li, Na, and K;
- electrolyzing the anolyte solution at the anode to decarboxylate the alkali metal salt of the alkyl carboxylic acid according to the following reaction:
- R—COOM→R•+CO2+e−+M+
- wherein R• is an alkyl radical;
- reacting R• produced above with the aryl compound to produce an aryl-alkyl compound (R—Ar);
- and
- recovering the aryl-alkyl compound produced.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.