US 7,253,316 B2 · Flexible method for the joint production of (i) formic acid, (ii) a carboxylic acid comprising at least two carbon atoms and/or the derivatives thereof, and (iii) a carboxylic acid anhydride

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for jointly producing (i) formic acid (III); (ii) a carboxylic acid comprising at least two carbon atoms (II) and/or the derivatives thereof; and (iii) a carboxylic acid anhydride (VII). According to said method, (a) a formic acid ester (I) is transesterfied to formic acid (III) and the corresponding carboxylic acid ester (IV) by means of a carboxylic acid comprising at least two carbon atoms (II); (b) at least one portion of the carboxylic acid ester (IV) formed in step (a) is carbonylated in order to obtain the carboxylic acid anhydride (V); and (c) at least one portion of the carboxylic acid anhydride (V) formed in step (b) is further dehydrated by means of a carboxylic acid (VI) so as to form a carboxylic acid anhydride (VII) and the carboxylic acid (II).

Claims20

Dependent claims

A process for the joint preparation of

(i) formic acid (III);
(ii) a carboxylic acid having at least two carbon atoms (II) and/or derivatives thereof;
and
(iii) a carboxylic anhydride (VII);
said process comprising:
(a) transesterifying a formic ester (I) with a carboxylic acid having at least two carbon atoms (II) to form formic acid (III) and the corresponding carboxylic ester (IV);
(b) carbonylating at least part of the carboxylic ester (IV) formed in step (a) to form the corresponding carboxylic anhydride (V);
and
(c) transanhydriding at least part of the carboxylic anhydride (V) formed in step (b) with a carboxylic acid (VI) to form a carboxylic anhydride (VII) and the carboxylic acid (II).

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

10/532,561Filed 21 Oct 2003

Priority

DE 102 49 92826 Oct 2002

Published

US 2006/0052631 A19 Mar 2006

Granted

7 Aug 2007

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

C07C 51/54
Preparation of carboxylic acids or their salts, halides or anhydrides: preparation of carboxylic acid anhydrides
C07C 51/09
Preparation of carboxylic acids or their salts, halides or anhydrides: from carboxylic acid esters or lactones
C07C 51/56
Preparation of carboxylic acid anhydrides: from organic acids, their salts, their esters or their halides, e.g. by carboxylation
Y02P 20/582
Improvements relating to the production of bulk chemicals: recycling of unreacted starting or intermediate materials

Flexible method for the joint production of (i) formic acid, (ii) a carboxylic acid comprising at least two carbon atoms and/or the derivatives thereof, and (iii) a carboxylic acid anhydride

Life of this patent

Flexible method for the joint production of (i) formic acid, (ii) a carboxylic acid comprising at least two carbon atoms and/or the derivatives thereof, and (iii) a carboxylic acid anhydride

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20