Alkylation of amine compounds
AssigneeShell Oil Company
InventorKuo-Hua Chao
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Abstract
Alkylamines are self-alkylated to longer carbon chain alkylamines using a catalyst mixture comprising ruthenium carbonyl and a compound of the formula (cyclopentadienyl).sub.n MY.sub.4-n where M is Zr, Hf or Ti, Y is individually selected from hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 alky, C.sub.6 -C.sub.20 aryl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.25 metalalkyl and halogen and n is 1, 2, 3 or 4.
Claims17
A process for the liquid phase oligomerization of alkylamines to produce longer carbon chain alkylamines which process comprises contacting said alkylamines at oligomerization reaction conditions with a catalyst mixture comprising a first component selected from a ruthenium carbonyl, a ruthenium-compound capable of being converted to a carbonyl under oligomerization conditions and mixtures thereof and a second compound having the general formula (cyclopentadienyl).sub.n MY.sub.4-n whrein M is zirconium, hafnium or titanium, Y is individually selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 alkyl, C.sub.6 -C.sub.20 aryl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.25 metalloalkyl and halogen, n is an integer from 1 to 4 and the mole ratio of ruthenium carbonyl or ruthenium-compound to (cyclopentadienyl).sub.4 MY.sub.4-n ranges from about 10:1 to about 1:10.
The process of claim 6 wherein the alkylamine is a C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 trialkylamine.
A process for preparing an amine of the general formula ##STR4## wherein R is C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl, which process comprises oligomerizing an amine of the general formula ##STR5## wherein R is as defined above by contacting in the liquid phase said ##STR6## at a temperature of from about 175.degree. C. to about 250.degree. C. with a catalyst mixture comprising a first component selected from a ruthenium carbonyl, a ruthenium-compound capable of being converted to a carbonyl under oligomerization conditions and mixtures thereof and a second component having the general formula (cyclopentadienyl).sub.n MY.sub.4-n wherein M is selected from zirconium, hafnium and titanium, Y is individually selected from hydrogen, methyl and chlorine and n is 1 or 2 and wherein the molar ratio of ruthenium carbonyl or ruthenium compound to (cyclopentadienyl).sub.n MY.sub.4-n ranges from about 2:1 to about 1:2.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.