Carbonylation of epoxides

• US 5,310,948 A
• Filed: 06/24/1993
• Issued: 05/10/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Palomar Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Shell Oil Company (Shell Plc)
• Inventors: Drent, Eit, Kragtwijk, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Dees, Jose G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CONRAD III, JOSEPH M
• Application Number:
  US08/082,211
• Time in Patent Office: 320 Days
• Field of Search: 549/328
• US Class Current: 549/328
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 51/09 from carboxylic acid esters or lactones
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 67/37 by reaction of ethers with carbon monoxide
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 69/675 of saturated hydroxy-carboxylic acids
• CPC Class Codes: C07D 315/00 Heterocyclic compounds containing rings having one oxygen atom as the only ring hetero atom according to more than one of groups C07D303/00 - C07D313/00
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 63/08 Lactones or lactides

Abstract

The invention relates a process for the carbonylation of epoxides by reaction with carbon monoxide in the presence of a catalyst system containing a source of cobalt and a hydroxy substituted pyridine compound, whereby β-propiolactones and/or derivatives thereof, such as β-propiolactone polymers, β-hydroxy carboxylic acids and esters, and β-alkoxy carboxylic acids and esters, are produced.

Claims

1. A process for the carbonylation of epoxides comprising reacting an epoxide with carbon monoxide in the presence of a catalyst system comprising a source of cobalt and a hydroxyl-substituted pyridine compound.

6. The process of claim 1 wherein a β

-propiolactone is produced as the primary carbonylation product.

7. The process of claim 1 wherein a β

-propiolactone polymer is produced.

8. The process of claim 7 wherein the carbonylation is conducted in the presence of a polymerization promoter.

9. The process of claim 1 wherein a β

-propiolactone derivative is produced.

10. The process of claim 9 wherein the carbonylation is conducted in the presence of a hydroxyl compound selected from the group consisting of water and alcohols.

2. The process of claim wherein the hydroxyl-substituted pyridine compound is a pyridine having the hydroxyl group substituent at the 3-position.

3. The process of claim 2 wherein the hydroxyl-substituted pyridine compound is 3-hydroxypyridine.

4. The process of claim I wherein the epoxide is an 1,2-epoxide.

5. The process of claim 4 wherein the 1,2-epoxide is ethylene oxide or propylene oxide.