Method for breakdown of formates

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9809517-B2
Application number	US-201515124944-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 5, 2015
Priority date	Mar 12, 2014
Publication date	Nov 7, 2017
Grant date	Nov 7, 2017

Abstract

A process for decomposing formates in formate-containing compositions of matter comprises reacting formate-containing compositions of matter in the presence of at least one heterogeneous catalyst comprising lanthanum and at a temperature of from 80 to 180° C. and a pressure of from 0.1 to 60 bar, the formate-containing compositions of matter having a pH of from 6.5 to 10.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A process for decomposing formates in formate-containing compositions of matter, which comprises reacting formate-containing compositions of matter in the presence of at least one heterogeneous catalyst comprising lanthanum and at a temperature of from 80 to 180° C. and a pressure of from 0.1 to 60 bar,
wherein the formate-containing compositions of matter have a pH of from 6.5 to 10,
the catalyst is a lanthanum oxide/copper/copper oxide/aluminum oxide catalyst, comprising 4 to 15 wt % of lanthanum reckoned as La 2 O 3 and based on the total weight of the catalyst,
the formate-containing composition of matter comprises carbonyl compounds formed by an aldol reaction of alkanals with formaldehyde and/or their corresponding hydrogenation products, and
at least 50 wt % of formate is decomposed.

2. The process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the decomposition of the formates is effected in the presence of hydrogen.

3. The process as claimed claim 1 , wherein the decomposition of the formates is effected in the presence of a tertiary amine.

4. The process as claimed claim 1 , wherein the formate-containing composition of matter comprises compounds comprising at least two methylol groups.

5. The process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the formate-containing composition of matter comprises hydroxypivalaldehyde and neopentyl glycol.

6. The process as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the formate-containing composition of matter comprises hydroxypivalaldehyde and neopentyl glycol.

7. The process as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the formate-containing composition of matter comprises hydroxypivalaldehyde and neopentyl glycol.

8. The process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the catalyst consists of:
4 to 15 wt % of lanthanum oxide,
40 to 65 wt % of copper oxide,
15 to 30 wt % of aluminum oxide and
5 to 20 wt % of copper.

9. The process as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the catalyst consists of:
4 to 15 wt % of lanthanum oxide,
40 to 65 wt % of copper oxide,
15 to 30 wt % of aluminum oxide and
5 to 20 wt % of copper.

10. The process as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the catalyst consists of:
4 to 15 wt % of lanthanum oxide,
40 to 65 wt % of copper oxide,
15 to 30 wt % of aluminum oxide and
5 to 20 wt % of copper.

Assignees

• Basf Se

Inventors

• Pinkos Rolf
• Marion Nicolas
• Kronemayer Helmut

Classifications

• C07C29/90

  using hydrogen only · CPC title

• C07C29/141 Primary

  with hydrogen or hydrogen-containing gases · CPC title

• C07C31/20

  Dihydroxylic alcohols · CPC title

• B01J23/83

  with rare earths or actinides · CPC title