Process for preparing benzylalcohols
AssigneeDynamit Nobel Aktiengesellschaft
InventorsGunther Bernhardt, Gerhard Daum
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Abstract
There is described an essentially two step process for the preparation of benzylalcohols including those benzylalcohols having substituents on the benzyene ring by reaction of a substituted or unsubstituted benzyl halide with a formate typically an alkali or alkaline earth metal formate to form the corresponding substituted or unsubstituted benzyl formate. In the second step of the process the benzyl formate is contacted with an alcohol whereby the same is converted into the desired benzylalcohol. Both steps can be performed employing catalysts. Described in the specification is the realization of the desired product in exceptionally high yields in a short period of time whereby the process is characterized by high space-time yields.
Claims48
A process for preparing benzylalcohol or benzylalcohol having a substituent on the benzene ring which comprises:
- A. Contacting a benzylchloride and/or bromide or a benzylchloride and/or bromide singularly or multiply substituted on the benzene ring which compound has the formula ##STR2## wherein Y=halogen and/or alkyl
- n=0 to 5
- W=--CH.sub.2 --X
- a=0 to 5
- Z=hydroxy or alkoxy
- b=0 to 3
- A=nitro and/or nitrile
- c=o to 2 and a+b+n+c=1 to 5, and X represents chlorine or bromine
- at a temperature of 100.degree. to 250.degree. C. with an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal formate such that said benzylchloride and/or bromide reacted is in the heterogeneous phase in the presence of a catalyst selected from the group consisting of tertiary amines, tertiary phosphines, quaternary ammonium salts and quaternary phosphonium salts and in the absence of a solvent to form benzylformate or a benzylformate which contains a substituent on the benzene ring;
- and
- B. Thereafter converting the so formed benzylformate or substituted benzylformate by means of a transesterification step to the corresponding alcohol by contacting the same with an alcohol in the presence of an esterification catalyst.
A process for preparing benzylalcohol or a benzylalcohol having a substituent on the benzyl ring which comprises:
- A. Contacting a benzylchloride and/or bromide or a benzylchloride and/or bromide singularly or multiply substituted on the benzene ring which compound has the formula ##STR3## wherein Y=halogen and/or alkyl
- n=0
- W=--CH.sub.2 --X
- a=0 to 5
- Z=hydroxy, alkoxy or phenoxy
- b=0 to 3
- A=nitro and/or nitrile
- c=0 a+b+n+c=1 to 5, and X represents chlorine or bromine
- at a temperature of 100.degree. to 250.degree. C. with an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal formate such that said benzylchloride and/or bromide reacted is in the heterogeneous phase in the presence of a catalyst selected from the group consisting of tertiary amines, tertiary phosphines, quaternary ammonium salts and quaternary phosphonium salts and in the absence of a solvent to form benzylformate or a benzylformate which contains a substituent on the benzene ring;
- and
- B. Thereafter converting the so formed benzylformate or substituted benzylformate by means of a transesterification step to the corresponding alcohol by contacting the same with an alcohol in the presence of an esterification catalyst.
A process for preparing benzylalcohol or a benzylalcohol having a substituent on the benzene ring which comprises:
- A. Contacting a benzylchloride and/or bromide or a benzylchloride and/or bromide singularly or multiply substituted on the benzene ring which compound has the formula ##STR4## wherein Y=halogen and/or alkyl
- n=0 to 2
- W=--CH.sub.2 --X
- a=0 to 5
- Z=hydroxy or alkoxy
- b=0 to 3
- A=nitro and/or nitrile
- c=0 to 2 and a+b+n+c=1 to 5, and X represents chlorine or bromine
- at a temperature of 100.degree. to 250.degree. C. with an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal formate such that said benzylchloride and/or bromide reacted is the heterogeneous phase in the presence of a catalyst selected from the group consisting of tertiary amines, tertiary phosphines, quaternary ammonium salts and quaternary phosphonium salts and in the absence of a solvent to form benzylformate or a benzylformate which contains a substituent on the benzene ring;
- and
- B. Thereafter converting the so formed benzylformate or substituted benzylformate by means of a transesterification step to the corresponding alcohol by contacting the same with an alcohol in the presence of an esterification catalyst.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.