Loading patent…
AssigneeTennessee Valley Authority
InventorsRobert J. Radel, Jack M. Sullivan
Estimating the term…
A process for the preparation of nitrogen fertilizers, especially oxamide, either indirectly, or directly from oxalate esters, including the regeneration of the quinone oxidant utilized in the formation of the above esters. Preparation of oxalate esters as potential intermediates for nitrogen fertilizers by the oxidative carbonylation of alcohols with carbon monoxide in the presence of a catalytic amount of a platinum group metal salt with or without a corresponding metal oxidant salt and an optionally substituted quinone (substituted or unsubstituted 2,5-cyclohexadiene-1,4-dione). High yields of isolated dialkyl oxalates are obtained by regulating temperature and carbon monoxide pressure and by maintaining essentially anhydrous conditions. In addition, high yields of the hydroquinones (1,4-dihydroxybenzenes) are recovered.
A process for the oxidative carbonylation of substituted or unsubstituted alcohols having between 1 and 10 carbon atoms to produce product oxalate esters eminently suitable for use as fertilizer intermediates and byproduct hydroquinone, which process comprises reacting in a reaction vessel under essentially anhydrous conditions, at pressures in the range between about 1000 psi and about 5000 psi and at temperatures in the range between about 80.degree. C. and about 200.degree. C., a mixture of an alcohol and carbon monoxide or a mixture of an alcohol, carbon monoxide and a co-solvent, said alcohol being either an aromatic alcohol, a monohydric saturated aliphatic alcohol, or a saturated alicyclic alcohol, and said co-solvent being nonreactive to said carbon monoxide under said reaction conditions;
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.