Transalkylation of tertiary amines and alcohols, to produce ethylene glycol
AssigneeNational Distillers and Chemical Corporation
InventorRichard W. Goetz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A tertiary amine and an alcohol are transalkylated. The tertiary amine is reacted with the alcohol, or with the formate ester of the alochol, at a temperature of from about 50.degree. to 300.degree. C. When the reaction is effected using the alcohol (rather than its formate ester), then the reaction is carried out in the presence of carbon monoxide.
Claims6
A method of producing ethylene glycol comprising reacting at a temperature of from about 50.degree.to 300.degree. C. a tertiary amine with an alkyl, cycloakyl, aralkyl or acylcycloalkyl alcohol containing up to 10 carbon atoms in the presence of carbon monoxide or with the formate ester of said alcohol, said tertiary amine being triethylenediamine or an amine of the formula ##STR11## wherein each of R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 is an acylcic aliphatic hydrocarbon radical of up to 10 carbon atoms or a substituted acyclic aliphatic hydrocarbon radical wherein the substituent is hydroxy, alkoxy of up to 10 carbon atoms or alkanoyl of up to 10 carbon atoms.
A method for producing ethylene glycol comprising reacting methanol and triethylenediamine at a molar ratio of 10:1 to 1:10 in an anclosed reaction zone at a temperature of 50.degree. to 300.degree. C in the presence of carbon monoxide suppplied at a partial pressure of 1 to 300 atmospheres.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.