US 4,895,818 A · Phosphonite-and phosphinite-promoted ruthenium - cobalt catalysts for the dealkoxyhydroxymethylation of acetals to form glycol ethers

Abstract

Ruthenium cobalt- or cobalt-containing catalysts which have been promoted with phosphonites or phosphinites effectively catalyze the dealkoxyhydroxymethylation of aldehyde acetals to form glycol monoethers. Methylal, for example, may be reacted with syngas, i.e., CO and H.sub.2, in the presence of these phosphonite- or phosphinite-promoted cobalt or ruthenium- cobalt catalysts to form the monomethyl ether of ethylene glycol. In a like manner acetaldehyde may be converted to the corresponding propylene glycol monoether. The process may advantageously be carried out with high yields and selectivities in the presence of a polar or non-polar organic solvent in combination with the catalyst system of this invention. The invention is also directed to the phosphonite- or phosphinite-promoted cobalt and ruthenium-cobalt catalyst systems per se.

Claims6

Dependent claims

In a catalyst useful in dealkoxyhydroxymethylation of acetals and which contains a metal selected from the group consisting of cobalt and both ruthenium and cobalt, the improvement wherein said catalyst additionally contains a promoter of the formula ##STR7## or mixtures thereof, wherein R' and R", each of which may be the same or different, are hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, or aryl;

and wherein the R' groups, when other than hydrogen, may, when taken together, form a cyclic compound.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

07/238,435Filed 31 Aug 1988 · division

Priority

6 Jun 1986

Granted

23 Jan 1990

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

C07C 41/30
By reactions not forming ether-oxygen bonds: by increasing the number of carbon atoms, e.g. by oligomerisation
B01J 31/0261
Phosphorus acids or phosphorus acid esters: comprising phosphonous acid groups or the isomeric phosphinic acid groups , i.e. R= C, R'= C, H
B01J 31/0262
Phosphorus acids or phosphorus acid esters: comprising phosphinous acid groups or the isomeric phosphine oxide groups , i.e. R= C, R'= C, H
B01J 31/20
Containing coordination complexes: carbonyls

Phosphonite-and phosphinite-promoted ruthenium - cobalt catalysts for the dealkoxyhydroxymethylation of acetals to form glycol ethers

Life of this patent

Phosphonite-and phosphinite-promoted ruthenium - cobalt catalysts for the dealkoxyhydroxymethylation of acetals to form glycol ethers

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims6