Carbonylation of epoxides

• US 5,359,081 A
• Filed: 03/03/1994
• Issued: 10/25/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shell Oil Company (Shell Plc)
• 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:
  US08/206,293
• Time in Patent Office: 236 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 preparation of α

,β

-unsaturated carboxylic acids or derivatives thereof comprising;

(a) reacting an epoxide with carbon monoxide in the presence of a cobalt-containing catalyst system comprising a source of cobalt and a hydroxyl-substituted pyridine compound thereby producing a β

-propiolactone monomer or polymer; and

(b) dehydrating said β

-propiolactone monomer or polymer.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein the dehydration in step (b) is carried out in the presence of a hydroxyl compound.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein the hydroxyl-substituted pyridine compound is a pyridine having the hydroxyl group substituent at the 3-position.

4. The process of claim 1 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.