Abstract:
This invention relates to a process for producing 5-methyl-N-aryl-2-pyrrolidone, 5-methyl-N-cycloalkyl-2-pyrrolidone, and 5-methyl-N-alkyl-2-pyrrolidone by reductive amination of levulinic acid esters with nitro compounds utilizing a metal catalyst, which is optionally supported.
Abstract:
An ether is oxidized with oxygen under an oxidation catalyst comprising an imide compound (such as N-hydroxyphthalimide) or the imide compound and a co-catalyst to produce the corresponding chain or cyclic ester or anhydride. The co-catalyst may be a transition metal compound. The above process provides a process for oxidizing an ether by oxygen efficiently to produce the corresponding oxide (such as an ester, an hydride) with high conversion and selectivity.
Abstract:
A process for the preparation of five-membered or six-membered ring lactams from aliphatic .alpha.,.omega.-dinitriles has been developed. In the process an aliphatic .alpha.,.omega.-dinitrile is first converted to an ammonium salt of an .omega.-nitrilecarboxylic acid in aqueous solution using a catalyst having an aliphatic nitrilase (EC 3.5.5.7) activity, or a combination of nitrile hydratase (EC 4.2.1.84) and amidase (EC 3.5.1.4) activities. The ammonium salt of the .omega.-nitrilecarboxylic acid is then converted directly to the corresponding lactam by hydrogenation in aqueous solution, without isolation of the intermediate .omega.-nitrilecarboxylic acid or .omega.-aminocarboxylic acid. When the aliphatic .alpha.,.omega.-dinitrile is also unsymmetrically substituted at the .alpha.-carbon atom, the nitrilase produces the .omega.-nitrilecarboxylic acid ammonium salt resulting from hydrolysis of the .omega.-nitrile group with greater than 98% regioselectivity, thereby producing only one of the two possible lactam products during the subsequent hydrogenation. A heat-treatment process to select for desirable regioselective nitrilase or nitrile hydratase activities while destroying undesirable activities is also provided.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of lactams from dinitriles. It consists more precisely of a process for the preparation of lactam, linking two stages in series, one of hemihydrogenation of dinitrile to aminonitrile, the other of cyclizing hydrolysis of the aminonitrile after only one simple purification operation. Aliphatic lactams, such as especially epsilon-caprolactam, are base compounds for the preparation of polyamides (polyamide 6 from caprolactam).
Abstract:
Cyclic lactams are prepared by reacting an aminocarboxylic acid compound of the formula IH.sub.2 N--(CH.sub.2).sub.m --COR.sup.1 Iwhere R.sup.1 is --OH, --O--C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 -alkyl or --NR.sup.2 R.sup.3 and R.sup.2 and R.sup.3, independently of one another, are each hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 -alkyl or C.sub.5 -C.sub.8 -cycloalkyl and m is an integer from 3 to 12, with water by a process in which the reaction is carried out in the liquid phase using a heterogeneous catalyst.
Abstract:
Caprolactam is prepared by heating a 6-aminocaproic ester in liquid phase in the presence of water to 230.degree.-350.degree. C. under superatmospheric pressure in a reaction medium comprising a liquid aromatic hydrocarbon having a boiling point of from 80.degree. to 240.degree. C. which is inert under reaction conditions, and isolating caprolactam from the reaction mixture.
Abstract:
An improved process for making N-alkylpyrrolidones from a maleic derivative or a succinic derivative which involves catalytically reducing the maleic derivative with hydrogen to succinic anhydride, if the maleic derivative is the starting point, converting succinic anhydride to a N-alkylsuccinimide by ammonolysis-alkylation with a C.sub.1 and C.sub.4 alkanol and ammonia, and catalytically reducing the resulting N-alkylsuccinimide to the N-alkylpyrrolidone.
Abstract:
Novel compound of the formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 is pyridyl group, R.sup.2 is a phenyl group, a thienyl group, a furyl group, a naphthyl group, a benzothienyl group or pyridyl group, which may optionally have a lower alkoxy group, a lower alkyl group, a halogen atom, trifluoromethyl group, a lower alkenyl group or methylenedioxy group, R.sup.3 is hydrogen atom or a lower alkyl group, and n is an integer of 0 to 6, Y is sulphur atom, methylene group or a group of the formula: ##STR2## wherein R.sup.4 is hydrogen atom or acetyl group, and m is 0 or 1, and their pharmaceutically acceptable salts have an inhibitory action on bio-synthesis of thromboxane A.sub.2 (TXA.sub.2) and an effect of accelerating the productivility of prostaglandin I.sub.2 (PGI.sub.2), and can be used for mammals to the prophylaxis or therapy of thrombosis caused by platelet aggregation or ischemic diseases caused by vasospasms in cardiac, cerebral and peripheral circulatory system (e.g. cardiac infarction, apoplexy, infarct of blood vessels in kidney, lung and other organs, pectic ulcer, etc.).
Abstract:
A process for selective preparation of lactams which comprises contacting, in the vapor phase, an aliphatic or aromatic aminonitrile having the formula HR.sub.1 N--D--CN wherein D is a divalent organic moiety and wherein R.sub.1 is (C.sub.1 -C.sub.4) alkyl or hydrogen with an effective amount of a silica catalyst, in the form of substantially spherical beads having a BET surface area greater than about 250 m.sup.2 /g, preferably between 300 and 500 m.sup.2 /g, and an average pore diameter less than about 20 nanometers preferably 8-10 nanometers at a temperature in the range of about 200.degree. to about 400.degree. C. and at a hydrogen or inert gas flow with a pressure in the range of about 0 to about 300 kPa, in the presence of: (a) ammonia in an amount equal to from 0 to about 50 mole percent of the molar amount of aliphatic or aromatic aminonitrile present; and (b) water in an amount from at least about 1.0 to about 50 times the molar amount of aliphatic or aromatic aminonitrile present for a time sufficient to produce the corresponding lactam is disclosed. The preferred aminonitrile is .epsilon.-aminocapronitrile. A process for the selective conversion of aliphatic or aromatic aminonitriles having the formula HR.sub.1 N--D--CN into the corresponding lactam in the presence of alkyl or aryl mononitrile or alkylene or arylene dinitriles by use of a silica catalyst, preferably a spherical silica catalyst with recovery of substantially all the alkyl or aryl mononitrile or alkylene or arylene dinitrile originally present is also disclosed.
Abstract:
Disclosed is a process for preparing a lactam which consists essentially in the reductive amination in the gas phase of an oxoalkane carboxylic acid having the formula ##STR1## or an alkyl ester thereof, wherein R is an alkyl group having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms and n varies from 2 to 3, and wherein the reaction is carried out:A. in an atmosphere of hydrogen, andB. in the presence of a gas phase reactant selected from the group consisting of gaseous ammonia and a vaporized primary amine, andC. in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst promoted with an alkali metal.The alkali metal particularly preferred as a promoter is sodium.