Process for producing glycidol

• US 7,868,192 B1
• Filed: 07/15/2009
• Issued: 01/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: KAO Corporation
• Original Assignee: KAO Corporation
• Inventors: Uno, Mitsuru, Seki, Yuichiro, Namba, Masanori, Sasa, Tomoaki, Takeuchi, Hiroki
• Primary Examiner(s): Andres; Janet L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gallis; David E
• Application Number:
  US12/503,428
• Publication Number:
  US 20110015414A1
• Time in Patent Office: 545 Days
• Field of Search: 549/518, 549/229, 549/555
• US Class Current: 549/518
• CPC Class Codes: C07D 301/02 Synthesis of the oxirane ring

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for producing glycidol from glycerol carbonate by subjecting the glycerol carbonate to decarboxylation reaction in the presence of a solvent containing no active hydrogen. In the process, glycidol can be produced from glycerol carbonate as a raw material of the glycidol with a high selectivity.

Claims

1. A process for producing glycidol, comprising the step of subjecting glycerol carbonate to decarboxylation reaction in the presence of a solvent containing no active hydrogen.

2. The process for producing glycidol according to claim 1, wherein the solvent containing no active hydrogen is an ether-based solvent and/or a hydrocarbon-based solvent.

3. The process for producing glycidol according to claim 1, wherein the solvent containing no active hydrogen is polyalkylene glycol dimethyl ether and/or liquid paraffin.

4. The process for producing glycidol according to claim 1, wherein the decarboxylation reaction is carried out in the presence of a catalyst comprising a neutral salt selected from an alkali metal salt and/or an alkali earth metal salt.

5. The process for producing glycidol according to claim 1, wherein the decarboxylation reaction is carried out using a thin film type reactor.

6. The process for producing glycidol according to claim 1, wherein the glycerol carbonate is produced by reacting glycerol with urea in the presence of an acid catalyst.