Heterogeneous alkoxylation using anion-bound metal oxides
AssigneeUnion Carbide Corporation
InventorStephen W. King
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Abstract
Active-hydrogen compounds, for example, primary and secondary alcohols or diols, are alkoxylated, for example, ethoxylated, using solid anion-bound metal oxide catalysts, such as, zirconium oxysulfate catalyst. Hydrous zicronium oxide is treated with solutions of sulfate phosphate, nitrate or tetrafluoroborate and calcined in air at 300.degree. to 950.degree. C. to produce highly active heterogeneous alkoxylation catalysts. The amorphous catalysts afford narrow molecular weight products. The catalyst can be removed from the product by filtration and reused with no significant loss in activity. Reaction temperatures of 50.degree. to 140.degree. C. are employed for alkoxylation.
Claims23
Process for alkoxylating active-hydrogen compounds, comprising reacting a liquid or solid epoxide compound having the formula:
- ##STR10## wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 are each H or --(CH.sub.2).sub.n CH.sub.3, and wherein n is 0 to 3, with the proviso that R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 can be the same or different, with the active-hydrogen compound, said active-hydrogen compound being in the liquid or gaseous state, in the presence of a catalytic amount of at least one solid anion-bound metal oxide heterogeneous catalyst, wherein said anion in said anion-bound metal oxide heterogeneous catalyst is SO.sub.4, BF.sub.4, CO.sub.3, BO.sub.3, HPO.sub.4, SeO.sub.4, MoO.sub.4, B.sub.4 O.sub.7 or PF.sub.6, and the metal oxide is zirconium oxide, nickel oxide, aluminum oxide, tin oxide, calcium oxide, magnesium oxide, iron oxide, titanium oxide, thorium oxide, hafnium oxide or rubidium oxide, said anion-bound metal oxide heterogeneous catalyst being an amorphous or primarily amorphous compound, and said active-hydrogen compound not poisoning said anion-bound metal oxide heterogeneous catalyst.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.