Catalyst system and process for rearrangement of epoxides to allylic alcohols
AssigneeMillennium Specialty Chemicals, Inc.
InventorsGennadiy G. Kolomeyer, Jacob S. Oyloe
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Abstract
A catalyst system comprising a primary catalyst chosen from one or more homogeneous or heterogeneous, inorganic, organic or complex metal-containing compound; and one or more phenolic activator/modifier(s). The catalyst system can be used for the preparation of allylic alcohols by rearrangement of corresponding epoxides, the subsequent Oppenauer type oxidation of allylic alcohols to alpha, beta-unsaturated carbonyl compounds, and/or the preparation of alpha, beta-unsaturated carbonyl compounds by rearrangement of epoxides to corresponding allylic alcohols followed by the subsequent Oppenauer type oxidation of allylic alcohols in a one pot process.
Claims20
A catalyst system for use in the rearrangement of epoxides to allylic alcohols, comprising:
- a) at least one primary catalyst comprising at least one metal oxide, metal carbonate, metal carboxylate, metal acetylacetonate, calcium hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, or barium hydroxide;
- and
- b) at least one activator/modifier comprising at least one phenolic compound, wherein the activator/modifier is present in an amount effective to improve the activity and/or selectivity of the primary catalyst in the rearrangement of an epoxide to an allylic alcohol as compared to the use of the primary catalyst without the activator/modifier.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.