Method for producing high purity hydroxides and alkoxides

A process for improving the purity of an organic or inorganic alkoxide which comprises the steps of

• (A) providing an electrolysis cell which comprises an anolyte compartment containing an anode, a catholyte compartment containing a cathode and an alcohol corresponding to the alkoxide, and at least one intermediate compartment containing water, an organic liquid, or a mixture of water and an organic, said at least one intermediate compartment being separated from the anolyte and catholyte compartments by at least two dividers selected from nonionic dividers, cation selective membranes, or combinations thereof;
• (B) charging a mixture comprising the organic or inorganic alkoxide and an oxidizable liquid to the anolyte compartment;
• (C) passing a current through the electrolysis cell to produce a purified organic or inorganic alkoxide in the catholyte compartment;
• and
• (D) recovering the purified organic or inorganic alkoxide from the catholyte compartment.

A process for preparing an organic or inorganic hydroxide from the corresponding alkoxide which comprises the steps of

• (A) providing an electrolysis cell which comprises an anolyte compartment containing an anode, a catholyte compartment containing a cathode and water, and at least one intermediate compartment containing water, an organic liquid or a mixture of water and an organic liquid, said at least one intermediate compartment being separated from the anolyte and catholyte compartments by at least two dividers selected from nonionic dividers, cation selective membranes, or combinations thereof;
• (B) charging a mixture comprising an oxidizable liquid and the organic or inorganic alkoxide to the anolyte compartment;
• (C) passing a current through the electrolysis cell to produce an organic or inorganic hydroxide in the catholyte compartment;
• and
• (D) recovering the purified organic or inorganic hydroxide and water from the catholyte compartment.

A process for preparing an organic or inorganic alkoxide from the corresponding hydroxide which comprises the steps of

• (A) providing an electrolysis cell which comprises an anolyte compartment containing an anode, a catholyte compartment containing a cathode and an alcohol corresponding to the alkoxide, and at least one intermediate compartment containing water, an organic liquid, or a mixture of water and an organic liquid, said at least one intermediate compartment being separated from the anolyte and catholyte compartments by at least two dividers selected from nonionic dividers, cation selective membranes, or combinations thereof;
• (B) charging a mixture comprising the organic or inorganic hydroxide and an oxidizable liquid to the anolyte compartment;
• (C) passing a current through the electrolysis cell to produce a purified organic or inorganic alkoxide in the catholyte compartment;
• and
• (D) recovering the organic or inorganic alkoxide from the catholyte compartment.

A process for improving the purity of a mixture comprising water and an organic hydroxide selected from quaternary ammonium hydroxides, quaternary phosphonium hydroxides, and tertiary sulfonium hydroxides which comprises the steps of

• (A) providing an electrolysis cell which comprises an anolyte compartment containing an anode, a catholyte compartment containing a cathode and water, and at least one intermediate compartment containing water, an organic liquid, or a mixture of water and an organic liquid, said at least one intermediate compartment being separated from the anolyte and catholyte compartments by at least two dividers selected from nonionic dividers, cation selective membranes, or combinations thereof;
• (B) charging an aqueous mixture comprising water and the organic hydroxide to the anolyte compartment;
• (C) passing a current through the electrolysis cell to produce a purified mixture of water and an organic hydroxide in the catholyte compartment;
• and
• (D) recovering the purified aqueous mixture of the organic hydroxide from the catholyte compartment.

A process for improving the purity of a quaternary ammonium hydroxide which comprises the steps of

• (A) providing an electrolysis cell which comprises an anolyte compartment containing an anode, a catholyte compartment containing a cathode and water, and at least one intermediate compartment containing water, said at least one intermediate compartment being separated from catholyte and anolyte compartments by at least two cation selective membranes;
• (B) charging an aqueous solution comprising water and the quaternary ammonium hydroxide to the anolyte compartment;
• (C) passing a current through the electrolysis cell to produce a purified organic or inorganic hydroxide in the catholyte compartment;
• and
• (D) recovering the purified aqueous quaternary ammonium hydroxide from the catholyte compartment.

A process for improving the purity of a quaternary ammonium hydroxide prepared by electrolyzing a quaternary ammonium halide salt in an electrolysis cell which comprises the steps of

• (A) providing an electrolysis cell which comprises an anolyte compartment containing an anode, a catholyte compartment containing a cathode and water, and an intermediate compartment containing water, said catholyte compartment being separated from the intermediate compartment by a cation selective membrane, and said anolyte compartment being separated from the intermediate compartment by a second cation selective membrane;
• (B) charging an aqueous solution containing the quaternary ammonium hydroxide into the anolyte compartment, said aqueous solution containing a concentration of halide ions and a quaternary ammonium hydroxide characterized by the formula ##STR8## wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 are each independently alkyl groups containing from 1 to about 10 carbon atoms or hydroxy alkyl groups or alkoxy alkyl groups containing from 2 to about 10 carbon atoms;
• (C) passing a direct current through the electrolysis cell for a period of time effective to form a quaternary ammonium hydroxide in the catholyte compartment;
• and
• (D) recovering an aqueous solution of the quaternary ammonium hydroxide from the catholyte compartment, said quaternary ammonium hydroxide containing less halide than the amount of halide present in the quaternary ammonium hydroxide solution charged to the anolyte compartment in step (B).