Method for producing alcohols containing cycloaliphatic groups

Organic compounds -- part of the class 532-570 series – Organic compounds – Oxygen containing

Reexamination Certificate

Rate now

  [ 0.00 ] – not rated yet Voters 0   Comments 0

Details

C568S826000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06284932

ABSTRACT:

The invention relates to a process for preparing alcohols containing cycloaliphatic groups by hydrogenation of carboxylic acids containing aromatic nuclei, or anhy-drides or esters thereof, in the presence of a catalyst.
Processes for hydrogenating aromatic carboxylic acids to give cycloaliphatic alcohols are known. In these there is initial hydrogenation of the aromatic nucleus to the cycloaliphatic group, and then each carboxyl group is converted into a hydroxymethylene group.
JP-A 77/000242 (1977) describes a process for preparing 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol. In this there is initial nuclear hydrogenation of terephthalic acid on a catalyst composed of 5% rhodium on carbon. The carboxyl groups are then converted into the alcohol groups by hydrogenation on a copper/chromium catalyst. The conversion can also be carried out in a reactor which is operated continuously and which contains the two catalysts spatially separated from one another in sequence.
JP-A 06/228028 (1994) describes a process for preparing 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol in which there is initially hydrogenation of the aromatic nucleus of terephthalic acid on a catalyst composed of 5% Ru on A
2
O
3
, and the resulting compound is then hydrogenated on a supported catalyst which contains Ru and/or Rh and Sn to give 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,395,986 describes a process in which the cycloaliphatic dicarboxylic acid resulting from nuclear hydrogenation is hydrogenated on a copper/chromium catalyst to give 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol.
Two-stage processes are elaborate to carry out and are costly inter alia owing to the use of two different catalysts in two reaction stages.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a process for the catalytic hydrogenation of carboxylic acids containing aromatic nuclei to alcohols containing cycloaliphatic groups which avoids the disadvantages of known methods.
We have found that this object is achieved by providing a process for preparing alcohols containing cycloaliphatic groups by hydrogenation of carboxylic acids containing aromatic nuclei, or anhydrides or esters thereof, in the presence of a catalyst, where the hydrogenation is carried out in one stage and the catalyst contains at least one element from the group consisting of Pd, Ru and Pt and the element Re in the form of the metal or an oxide in each case.
We have found that the hydrogenation can be carried out in one stage when specific catalysts containing at least two metals or two metal oxides are used.
The catalyst can be employed as unsupported or supported catalyst for this purpose. All known carrier materials are suitable for use as supported catalyst, for example active carbons, SiO
2
, Al
2
O
3
, TiO
2
, ZrO
2
, clays such as montmorillonites, zeolites or mixtures thereof. The catalyst is preferably employed as unsupported catalyst.
It is possible, for example, to employ a catalyst which can be prepared by reducing an aqueous suspension and/or solution of oxides, oxide hydrates, carbonates, nitrates, carboxylates, chelates, sulfates, phosphates and/or halides of the elements employed.
The catalyst preferably contains one element from the group consisting of Pd, Ru or Pt, preferably Pt.
The element from group 7 of the Periodic Table of the Elements which is preferably used is Re.
The catalyst preferably additionally contains at least one other element from one of groups 3 and 5 to 12 and 14 and the lanthanides of the Periodic Table of the Elements (group IVa or group Ib, IIb, IIIb, Vb, VIb, VIIb or VIII of the Periodic Table of the Elements or of the lanthanides) in the form of the metal or an oxide.
Preferred examples of the at least one other element are Sn, V, Cr, Mo, W, Mn, Fe, Ru, Os, Co, Ni, Pd, Cu, Ag, Au, Zn, La and Ce. The elements can be employed as oxides, oxide hydrates, carbonates, nitrates, carboxylates, chelates of 1,3-diketo compounds, sulfates, phosphates or halides. The elements Re and Pd, Ru and Pt are preferably employed as oxides, oxide hydrates, carbonates, nitrates, sulfates, halides, borides, carboxylates such as acetates, chelates of 1,3-diketo compounds such as enolates of acetylacetonate or benzylacetonate. Oxides and oxide hydrates are particularly preferred, such as RuO
2
, PdO
2
, PtO
2
and Re
2
O
7
.
The catalyst particularly preferably contains of an element from the group consisting of Pd, Ru and Pt, and the element Re and at least one element from group 11 of the Periodic Table of the Elements in the form of the metal or an oxide. In particular, the catalyst contains Pd, Ru or Pt in addition to Re and Ag, Mo or Au in the form of the metal or an oxide. The catalyst may contain the abovementioned elements or consist of them. It preferably consists of these elements in the form of the metal or an oxide in each case.
The catalysts employed according to the invention can be prepared by mixing the appropriate compounds of the elements and reducing, preferably with hydrogen. However, the reduction can also be carried out sequentially. For example, PtO
2
, an Re compound and, where appropriate, a compound of at least one other element are introduced into water and reduced with hydrogen. In this case, the reduction is preferably carried out at from 100 to 700° C., particularly preferably 200 to 600° C., in particular 250 to 500° C. The catalysts obtained in this way can be employed for the hydrogenation immediately after the reduction. Supported catalysts can be prepared, for example, in such a way that a Pt component, preferably Pt oxide or Pt oxide hydrate, is already present on the carrier, it being possible to prepare the Pt/carrier mixture by impregnation or joint precipitation of Pt oxide precursor or Pt oxide hydrate precursor and carrier material and subsequent calcination. The Re compound and the at least one other element can be added by impregnation or precipitation. It is moreover possible for the Pt oxide or Pt oxide hydrate to have been reduced on the carrier previously. Following the above preparation conditions, the catalysts are in the form of mixtures of the elements or, partly or predominantly, as intermetallic compounds.
The ratio by weight of Pt to Re or of Pt to the other element which may be present is preferably 100-0.01, particularly preferably 50-0.05, in particular 10-0.1.
The carboxylic acid which can be employed in the hydrogenation is any carboxylic acid containing aromatic nuclei, or its anhydride or esters. The carboxylic acid may moreover have any number of carboxyl groups. As a rule, it contains from 1 to 3 carboxyl groups. It is, in particular, a dicarboxylic acid. The carboxyl groups can be separated from the aromatic nucleus by an alkylene radical. In this case, the alkylene radical preferably contains from 1 to 5 carbon atoms. It is particularly preferably an aromatic carboxylic acid in which the carboxyl groups are directly bonded to the aromatic nucleus. Aromatic nuclei to be considered are all suitable aromatic nuclei such as benzene nuclei, naphthalene nuclei and more highly fused aromatic nuclei. The aromatic nucleus is preferably a benzene nucleus. The aromatic nucleus may be substituted by hydroxyl groups, C
1-12
-alkyl radicals, C
1-12
-alkoxy radicals or C
1-12
-hydroxyalkyl radicals. If carbonyl functionalities are present in the molecule or in the substituents, these are also reduced in the hydrogenation. If carbon double or triple bonds are present in the substituents, these are also reduced to the corresponding saturated compounds.
Examples of suitable carboxylic acids are monocarboxylic acids such as benzoic acid or dicarboxylic acids such as phthalic acid or terephthalic acid. Examples of esters which can be employed are the methyl, ethyl, propyl or butyl esters. The carboxylic acids can also be employed as anhydrides, for example phthalic anhydride. The resulting alcohols can be employed in a large number of applications, for example as intermediates or alcohol components for preparing polymers.
Terephthalic acid and its esters are preferably employed.
The carboxylic acids or anhydrides or esters thereof can be employed

LandOfFree

Say what you really think

Search LandOfFree.com for the USA inventors and patents. Rate them and share your experience with other people.

Rating

Method for producing alcohols containing cycloaliphatic groups does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Method for producing alcohols containing cycloaliphatic groups, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method for producing alcohols containing cycloaliphatic groups will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

     

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2475166

  Search
All data on this website is collected from public sources. Our data reflects the most accurate information available at the time of publication.