Process for the production of 2-hydroxy-4-methylmercaptobutyric acid
AssigneeDegussa AG
InventorsThomas Lehmann, Rolf Schneider, Christoph Weckbecker, Elisabeth Dunach, Sandra Olivero
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Abstract
A process for the production of 2-hydroxy-4-methylmercaptobutyric acid (MHA) by electrochemical carboxylation of 3-methylmercapto-propionaldehyde in an undivided electrolytic cell containing a sacrificial anode, in an aprotic solvent in the presence of a supporting electrolyte. Preferred anode/cathode combinations are Mg/Mg and Mg/carbon. MHA is obtainable in a high yield.
Claims23
A process for the production of 2-hydroxy-4-methylmercaptobutyric acid (MHA), comprising reacting 3-methylmercaptopropionaldehyde (MMP) with carbon dioxide in an undivided electrolytic cell containing a sacrificial anode in an aprotic solvent in the presence of a supporting electrolyte at an effective cell voltage to thereby electrochemically carboxylate said MMP to form a MHA salt, and dissolving and/or suspending said salt in the electrolyte and the cation of which comes from the anode to obtain MHA.
A process for the production of 2-hydroxy-4-methylmercaptobutyric acid (MHA), comprising dissolving 3-methylmercaptopropionaldehyde (MMP) in a solvent containing a supporting electrolyte, in an undivided electrolytic cell containing a sacrificial anode and a cathode, applying an effective voltage to said anode and cathode in the presence of said supporting eletrolyte, the voltage being effective to carry out the process, and introducing carbon dioxide into said cell at a sufficient pressure to electrochemically carboxylate said MMP to produce MHA salt, dissolving the MHA salt in the electrolyte and precipitating out the MHA salt and filtering to recover said MHA salt, treating said salt with a mineral acid and extracting MHA from the aqueous phase by an organic solvent.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.