Process For Preparing Unsaturated Compounds

Abstract

Aspects of the present invention relate to processes for preparing compositions comprising unsaturated compounds, wherein (A) one or more unsaturated monocarboxylic acids having 10-24 carbon atoms or esters of these monocarboxylic acids and (B) one or more unsaturated dicarboxylic acids having 4 to 20 carbon atoms or esters thereof are subjected to a tandem isomerization/metathesis reaction in the presence of a palladium catalyst and of a ruthenium catalyst, with the proviso that the palladium catalysts used are compounds which contain at least one structural element Pd—P(R1R2R3) where the R1-R3 radicals each independently have 2-10 carbon atoms, each of which may be aliphatic, alicyclic, aromatic or heterocyclic, with the proviso at least one of the R1-R3 radicals contains a beta-hydrogen, the palladium catalyst being used as such or generated in situ, with the proviso the process is performed in the absence of substances having a pKa of 3 or less.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.