Preparation of butane-1,4-diol
AssigneeBASF SE
InventorsHans-Martin Weitz, Rolf Schnabel, Rolf Platz
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Abstract
A process for the preparation of butane-1,4-diol by catalytic hydrogenation of a mixture obtained by treating maleic anhydride with an aliphatic alcohol at elevated temperatures, wherein a monohydric or dihydric aliphatic alcohol of boiling point above 180.degree. C. is used and the mixture of maleic acid and the alcohol is obtained by washing a gaseous reaction mixture, which contains maleic anhydride and is obtained in the catalytic oxidation of hydrocarbons by air, with the alcohol.
Claims4
In a process for the preparation of butane-1,4-diol by the catalytic hydrogenation of an alcoholic solution of maleic acid ester, the improvements comprising:
- catalytically oxidizing hydrocarbon by air to form a gaseous mixture containing maleic anhydride;
- washing said mixture with a monohydric or polyhydric aliphatic alcohol having a boiling point above 180.degree. C. to form a solution of maleic acid half-ester in the alcohol;
- and heating the solution to remove water and to form a solution of maleic acid diester in the alcohol.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.