Process for preparing N-phosphonomethylamino carboxylic acids
AssigneeMonsanto Company
InventorsMichael K. Stern, Brian K. Cheng, Jerry R. Ebner, Dennis P. Riley
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Abstract
A process for preparing N-hydroxyalkylaminomethyl-phosphonic acid or salts thereof which comprises contacting an alkanolamine, formaldehyde and a trialkyl phosphite under suitable reaction conditions to produce a reaction mixture, and hydrolyzing the reaction mixture under neutral, acidic or basic conditions. In one embodiment, the N-hydroxyalkylaminomethylphosphonic acid or salts thereof is catalytically oxidized to produce an N-phosphonomethylaminocarboxylic acid or salts thereof.
Claims41
A process for preparing N-hydroxyalkylaminomethylphosphonic acid represented by the formula ##STR6## or salts thereof comprising:
- (a) contacting an alkanolamine represented by the formula ##STR7## wherein n is 2 to 6, formaldehyde and a trialkyl phosphite under suitable conditions of time and temperature to produce a reaction mixture wherein the molar ratio of alkanolamine to phosphite is about 1:1 to about 15:1, and
- (b) hydrolyzing said reaction mixture under neutral, acidic or basic conditions.
A process for preparing N-phosphonomethylglycine or salts thereof comprising:
- (a) contacting ethanolamine, formaldehyde and a trialkyl phosphite under suitable reaction conditions of time and temperature to produce a reaction mixture wherein the molar ratio of ethanolamine to phosphite is about 1:1 to about 15:1,
- (b) hydrolyzing said reaction mixture under neutral, acidic or basic conditions to produce N-hydroxyethylaminomethylphosphonic acid or salts thereof, and
- (c) catalytically oxidizing said N-hydroxyethylaminomethylphosphonic acid or salts thereof.
A process for preparing N-hydroxyalkylaminomethylphosphonic acid represented by the formula ##STR9## or salts thereof comprising:
- (a) contacting an alkanolamine represented by the formula H.sub.2 N.paren open-st.CH.sub.2 .paren close-st..sub.n OH wherein n is 2 to 6, formaldehyde and a trialkyl phosphite in the presence of an alcohol represented by the formula R(OH).sub.m wherein R is an alkyl group having 1 to about 18 carbon atoms and m is 1 to 3, under suitable conditions of time and temperature to produce a reaction mixture wherein the molar ratio of alkanolamine to phosphite is about 1:1 to about 5:1, and
- (b) hydrolyzing the reaction mixture under neutral, acidic or basic conditions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.