Method for producing diol derivatives

• US 20040138409A1
• Filed: 07/11/2003
• Published: 07/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nippon Shokubai Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nippon Shokubai Company Limited
• Inventors: Hayashi, Toshio, Baba, Hideyuki
• Granted Patent: US 7,005,536 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 528/354
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 51/00 Preparation of carboxylic acids or their salts, halides or anhydrides of acids by hydrolysis of oils, fats or waxes C11C
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 51/09 from carboxylic acid esters or lactones
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 59/06 Glycolic acid
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 67/40 by oxidation of primary alcohols
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 69/675 of saturated hydroxy-carboxylic acids
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 63/06 derived from hydroxycarboxylic acids
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/582 Recycling of unreacted starting or intermediate materials

Abstract

A method of producing a diol derivative efficiently and to high purity is provided. Specifically, the present invention relates to a method of producing a diol derivative having, as a fundamental step, a step of obtaining an α-hydroxycarboxylic acid ester by reacting (i) one or more 1,2-diols or (ii) a 1,2-diol and a primary alcohol as starting material(s) with oxygen in the presence of a catalyst comprising metal loaded on a carrier.

Claims

1. A method of producing a diol derivative, comprising a step of obtaining an α

-hydroxycarboxylic acid ester by reacting (i) one or more 1,2-diols or (ii) a 1,2-diol and a primary alcohol as starting material(s) with oxygen in the presence of a catalyst comprising metal loaded on a carrier.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the metal loaded on the carrier is a metal other than gold.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein ethylene glycol and a primary alcohol are used as the starting materials.

4. The method of producing a diol derivative according to claim 1, further comprising a step of hydrolyzing the obtained α

-hydroxycarboxylic acid ester to obtain an α

-hydroxycarboxylic acid.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the metal loaded on the carrier comprises gold and at least one metal other than gold.

6. The method of producing a diol derivative according to claim 4, further comprising a step of subjecting the obtained α

-hydroxycarboxylic acid to polycondensation to obtain polyglycolic acid.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising a step of subjecting the obtained polyglycolic acid to further polycondensation to produce polyglycolic acid having a higher molecular weight.

8. The method according to claim 6, further comprising a step of subjecting the obtained polyglycolic acid to depolymerization to obtain glycolide.

9. The method of producing a diol derivative according to claim 1, further comprising a step of subjecting the obtained α

-hydroxycarboxylic acid ester to polycondensation to obtain polyglycolic acid.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising a step of subjecting the obtained polyglycolic acid to further polycondensation to produce polyglycolic acid having a higher molecular weight.

11. The method according to claim 9, further comprising a step of subjecting the obtained polyglycolic acid to depolymerization to obtain glycolide.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein the metal loaded on the carrier comprises gold and at least one metal other than gold.

13. A glycolic acid ester substantially not containing formaldehyde and chlorine as impurities.

14. Glycolic acid substantially not containing formaldehyde and chlorine as impurities.

15. Polyglycolic acid substantially not containing formaldehyde and chlorine as impurities.