Preparation of gamma-butyrolactones
AssigneeMobil Oil Corporation
InventorsEl-Ahmadi I. Heiba, Ralph M. Dessau
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Gamma-butyrolactones are formed by reacting an olefin with a compound containing a carboxylate moiety having at least one hydrogen atom on the alpha carbon atom in the presence of an ion of manganese, cerium, or vanadium, the ion being in a valency state higher than its lowest valency state.
Claims10
A method for the production of a gamma-butyrolactone having the structure ##STR48## wherein --X.sub.1 and --X.sub.2 are substituents individually selected from the group consisting of --Cl, --Br, --CN, --COCH.sub.3, and COOAlk wherein Alk is an alkyl group with up to six carbon atoms, and --X.sub.3 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, --CH.sub.3, --C.sub.2 H.sub.5, --CN and --COOH, which comprises:
- reacting, under reaction conditions, a diene having the structure ##STR49## wherein --X.sub.1 and --X.sub.2 are as hereinabove described, with a carboxylic acid having the structure ##STR50## wherein --X.sub.3 is as hereinabove described, in the presence of a stoichiometric amount of tetravalent cerium or trivalent manganese salt;
- and recovering said gamma-butyrolactone.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.