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US 8,802,811 B2Granted
Process for the synthesis of 3-hydroxyglutaronitrile
AssigneeE. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company
InventorJelena Cirakovic
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Abstract
A high yield and high productivity processes for preparing 3-hydroxyglutaronitrile by reacting an epihalohydrin or a 4-halo-3-hydroxy-butanenitrile, or analogous compound containing a different leaving group, with cyanide (CN—) in the presence of water and an ionic liquid. The use of an ionic liquid as a cosolvent with water results in increased productivity and selectivity.
Claims10
A process for preparing 3-hydroxyglutaronitrile comprising the steps of:
- a. providing a biphasic mixture of water and an ionic liquid;
- b. adding to the mixture a compound as described generally by Formula (II):
- wherein X is a leaving group;
- c. adding a CN— source and, optionally, a phase transfer catalyst to the mixture;
- and
- d. adding additional CN— continuously at a rate at which the pH of the solution is maintained at less than about 12, or discontinuously in more than one discrete portion.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.