Hydroxylation of unsaturated diols to prepare novel tetraols
AssigneeChevron Research Company
InventorRobert Bacskai
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Abstract
Tetraols of the formula ##STR1## wherein R is hydrogen or hydroxy; R' is hydrogen or hydroxy and differs from R; n is an integer from 1 to about 6; and m is an integer from 0 to 6, are prepared by epoxidation of select unsaturated diols to form 1,2-epoxides, followed by hydroxylation of the epoxides.
Claims3
A process for preparing tetraols of the formula ##STR7## wherein n is an integer from 1 to about 6 and m is an integer from 0 to 6, from a mixture of unsaturated diols comprising methylene alkane diols of the formula ##STR8## and methyl alkene diols of the formula ##STR9## wherein n and m are as defined above, which comprises the steps of:
- (1) contacting said mixture of unsaturated diols with less than the stoichiometric amount of a peroxy acid to selectively epoxidize the methyl alkene diols of said mixture;
- and hydroxylating the epoxide of the first step in the presence of water at a temperature of at least about 120.degree. C.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.