# US 2014/0155656 A1 · Process for the Catalytic Aldol Condensation of Aldehydes

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- Number: US 2014/0155656 A1
- Document ID: US20140155656A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/091,991
- Filed: 2013-11-27
- Published: 2014-06-05
- Earliest claimed: 2012-11-30
- Assignees: BASF SE
- Applicants: BASF SE
- Inventors: Roland Krokoszinski; Steffen Oehlenschläger; Rainer Papp; Jens Rudolph; Armin Ulonska
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140155656A1

## CPC

- C07C 45/74: combined with dehydration
- C07C: ACYCLIC OR CARBOCYCLIC COMPOUNDS

## Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for the catalytic aldol condensation of aldehydes, in particular for preparing α,β-unsaturated aldehydes, in a multiphase reactor.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A process for the catalytic aldol condensation of at least one aldehyde in a two-phase liquid reaction mixture in a reactor which has a reaction zone and a disengagement zone located directly above the reaction zone, wherein an aldehyde-comprising phase dispersed in a continuous aqueous catalyst-comprising phase is produced and a stream of the two-phase reaction mixture is allowed to rise from the reaction zone into the disengagement zone and coalesce, with a continuous organic phase being formed in the upper region of the disengagement zone.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the reaction zone and the disengagement zone are located in a single reaction vessel.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the proportion by volume of the aqueous phase in the reaction zone is at least 70%, or at least 80%, based on the total volume of the two-phase reaction mixture in the reaction zone.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the reaction zone is backmixed.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The process according to claim 4, wherein at least one stream fed into the reaction zone and/or at least one stream from the reaction zone conveyed in an external circuit (circulation stream) is/are used for backmixing.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the reaction zone is configured as a loop reactor or stirred vessel.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the reaction zone is configured as a free jet reactor.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the aldehyde is introduced in the upper region of the reaction zone.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein at least one mixing nozzle is used to produce the aldehyde-comprising phase dispersed in the continuous aqueous catalyst-comprising phase in the reaction zone.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The process according to claim 9, wherein the total mixing power introduced into the reactor is not more than 0.5 kW per m3 of liquid volume, or not more than 0.3 kW per m3 of liquid volume.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the aldehyde is introduced via a two-fluid nozzle.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The process according to claim 11, wherein the aldehyde and a stream from the reaction zone conveyed in an external circuit (circulation stream) are introduced into the two-fluid nozzle.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the disengagement zone and the reaction zone are tubular and the disengagement zone has a greater diameter than the reaction zone.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the disengagement zone comprises internals and/or packing elements arranged therein.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein a discharge is taken off from the continuous organic phase in the upper region of the disengagement zone.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The process according to claim 15, wherein the discharge from the disengagement zone is subjected to a further reaction in at least one reactor.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The process according to claim 16, wherein at least one adiabatically operated reactor is used for the further reaction.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The process according to claim 17, wherein the reactor used for the further reaction comprises internals and/or packing elements.

### Claim 19

An apparatus comprising a reactor which has a reaction zone and a disengagement zone located directly above the reaction zone, wherein the reaction zone has a device for producing an organic phase dispersed in a continuous aqueous phase and the disengagement zone allows the coalescence of the two-phase reaction mixture and the formation of a continuous organic phase in the upper region of the disengagement zone for reaction of a two-phase liquid reaction mixture.