Process for the preparation of hydroxy 4-methyl thiobutyric acid esters
AssigneeAdisseo Ireland Limited
InventorsMichel Garrait, Claude Casse, George Gros
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Abstract
A process, for the preparation of an ester of 2-hydroxy-4-methylthiobutyric acid which is substantially in the monomeric form, which process, being capable of industrial application and which comprises reacting 2-hydroxy-4-methylthiobutyric acid with an alcohol in the presence of water and an acid catalyst at a temperature of from 30 to 150° C. wherein the acid is the direct product of the hydrolysis of 2-hydroxy-4-methylthiobutyronitrile.
Claims31
A process for the preparation of an ester of 2-hydroxy-4-methylthiobutyric acid which is substantially in the monomeric form, which process comprises reacting 2-hydroxy-4-methylthiobutyric acid with an alcohol in the presence of water and an acid catalyst in a reactor at a temperature of from 30 to 150° C. wherein the acid is the direct product of the hydrolysis of 2-hydroxy-4-methylthiobutyronitrile, wherein said alcohol is selected from the group consisting of aliphatic alcohols containing 1 to 10 carbon atoms and wherein said acid catalyst is selected from the group consisting of acids having a pKa of less than 3, and acid resins.
A process for the preparation of an ester of 2-hydroxy-4-methylthiobutyric acid which is substantially in the monomeric form, which process comprises reacting 2-hydroxy-4-methylthiobutyric acid with an alcohol in the presence of water and a catalyst in a reactor at a temperature of from 30 to 150° C. wherein the acid is the direct product of the hydrolysis of 2-hydroxy-4-methylthiobutyronitrile, wherein said alcohol is selected from the group consisting of aliphatic alcohols containing 1 to 10 carbon atoms and wherein said catalyst is selected from the group consisting of alumina and aluminosilicates.
A process for the preparation of an ester of 2-hydroxy-4-methylthiobutyric acid which is substantially in the monomeric form, which process comprises reacting 2-hydroxy-4-methylthiobutyric acid with an alcohol in the presence of water and a catalyst in a reactor at a temperature of from 30 to 150° C. wherein the acid is the direct product of the hydrolysis of 2-hydroxy-4-methylthiobutyronitrile, wherein said alcohol is selected from the group consisting of aliphatic alcohols containing 1 to 10 carbon atoms and wherein said catalyst comprises an esterase enzyme.
A process as claimed in claim which the distilled by-products products are recycled to the reactor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.