Hydrocarboxylation of vinyl alkanoates
AssigneeMonsanto Company
InventorDonald E. Morris
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Vinyl esters such as vinyl acetate are hydrocarboxylated with tertiary organo-phosphine stabilized palladium catalysts utilizing low water concentration; the ready hydrolysis of the .alpha.-acetoxypropionic acid affords a convenient route to lactic acid.
Claims18
A process for the hydrocarboxylation of vinyl alkanoates to produce .alpha.-acyloxypropionic acid which comprises contacting the vinyl alkanoates with carbon monoxide and water in a liquid reaction medium comprising a low concentration, no greater than about 3% by weight, of water and a catalyst containing palladium and tertiary organophosphine, and excess tertiary organophosphine.
A process of hydrocarboxylating vinyl alkanoates which comprises reacting vinyl alkanoates with carbon monoxide and water in a liquid reaction medium with a tertiary organophosphine stabilized palladium catalyst in which the water is present in a very small amount much less than stoichiometric and additional water is added during the reaction to replace that reacted.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.